The Government’s Response To the Crisis in Long-Term Care Must Include Robust Data-Driven Change The long-term care crisis, in part, is a data crisis. By Carole Estabrooks More than 19,000 people in Canada have died from COVID-19 – more than 17,000 of them aged over 60 years. The majority of those deaths occurred in long-term care homes. This crisis continues now, even after governments and operators have put in place emergency strategies and, in some jurisdictions, creative solutions to address staff shortages. For example, offering to pay relatives to provide care, creating new support roles with free training and providing salary top-ups. This response, however, is years late, and piecemeal in its approach.