April 8, 2013, it was announced that the province’s health authority was slashing $52 million, or five per cent of its’ budget .from nursing home spending. It was further made public that AHS will increase spending for supported living spaces. Why would Alberta Health Services (AHS) increase funding to lower- level care beds when in fact across Alberta there is a 12.5% vacancy of such beds. Last month, residents at the Reid Manor in Ponoka were given a $125 per month rent increase. The major reason given for the increase was because of vacancies at the Manor. According to the Bethany Group, owners of Reid Manor, such housing across central Alberta is experiencing continued vacancies. Is AHS propping up an ailing system while large numbers of seniors languish in active treatment beds because of failure by AHS to provide long term care beds?

Province announces, they have no plans to increase number of long-term care beds for seniors- May 15, 2013 This decision is in disregard of the fact that across the province, 100’s of seniors are languishing in uncomfortable, active treatment hospital beds. We can name individuals who are maintained in such beds. They receive minimal nursing care, receive no mental or physical stimulation/ exercise, are not allowed off the ward, never taken out of doors for fresh air, some detained for as long as a year or longer. These hapless seniors, classified as ‘long- term care’ patients are forced to pay the monthly room & board of between $1500 & $1800. Furthermore, long-term care patients under the Canada Health Act are allotted monthly, approximately between $3,500. & $5,000. Federal Health Care dollars for nursing care. Where is this allotted money being directed? This may explain why, for decades, there has been failure by government to provide necessary long-term care beds.

DAVID O’BRIEN, AHS VP ANNOUNCED FUTURE FOCUS WILL BE ON SENIOR HOME-CARE. On Wednesday, May 15, 2013, David O’Brien, AHS VP, published to the media that 14,500 long-term care beds is the right number for Alberta and there is no intent to increase long-term care nursing beds. AHS CEO Dr. Chris Eagle announced that most Albertans can get the care they need in supportive living spaces The public was told, that the province will now focus on providing access to home care. However, days later, AHS announced, that beginning June 1st, home care providers across the province will be amalgamated. As a result, AHS will cut the number of home care providers in Edmonton from 35 to 10, causing great anguish to home-care clients.
Government speaks with forked tongue. NURSING HOMES ACT UNDER SCRUTINY. Dr. Chris Eagle has recently publicly expressed concern in regard to The Nursing Homes Act which he alleges to be very old, having been in place for many decades. He has asked the Health Minister to work together to take a look at the Act & see what can be done with it. The province’s Nursing Homes Act sets out clear standards for care. In part, the Act says a registered nurse must be on-site 24 hours a day, and that residents must receive 1.9 hours of care each day, roughly one quarter from a registered nurse. Is it the intent to disable the Nursing Homes Act in order to create nursing home legislation that is parallel to the troubling legislation which directs staffing levels for supported living?

June 15, 2013