Government Plan Not Seen as Solution to the Crisis in Senior Care

The new role of underused hospitals is not viewed by Alberta Seniors United Now as a positive step in meeting the current care needs of Alberta seniors. While, increases in home care, is a positive announcement, the freeze on long-term care beds is avoiding reality. Alberta’s population is growing and the single largest growth is in the number of aging seniors. We need to commence now to meet the needs in ten years time. A bed freeze is a backward step

The current level of home care support is inadequate It is causing a strain on seniors and their families, as they try and cope with their health care needs. Home care support needs to be increased substantially as it is currently is not meeting care needs today.

A move by the Alberta Government to create more assisted living beds will only shift health care delivery to home care. As home care fails to cope, costs will then be shifted to seniors and their families. These extra costs will reduce senior’s disposable incomes and may force them to move from their homes. This flies in the face of the Demographic Planning Commission, which advocates for more funding to assist seniors to remain in their homes.

SUN urges the government to “unfreeze “ long-term care beds until a proven home care support system is in place. One that meets seniors current and future care needs

For more information please contact:

Gordon Voth, President

780 449 1816 - Office