Health Minister Fred Horne has stated publicly that the town of High River,
AB. will lose one third of its’ long-term care beds. Twenty-five beds will be
replaced by private supportive-living beds (Sunrise Village Facility).
These beds will not be subject to the Nursing Homes Act & will provide a
lower level of care.
Furthermore, because supportive living facilities are not set up to provide
24 hour nursing care, frail ill, dependent elderly will undoubtedly end up
in the local hospital’s active treatment beds.
Across the province, hundreds of older Alberta citizens are languishing
in active treatment beds due the lack of long-term care beds.
Hospitals provide no mental or physical stimulation/ exercise, elders are
never taken out of doors for fresh air, often receive minimal nursing care.
These seniors, are then classified as ‘long- term care’ patients are
forced to pay monthly room & board of between $1500 & $1700. Furthermore,
long-term care patients under the Canada Health Act are allotted approximately
$5,000. federal health care dollars a month for nursing care when in long-term care.
This protocol provides a monetary boon for active treatment hospitals.
This may explain in part why, since the 90’s, there has been failure by government
to provide necessary long -term care beds.

The Sunrise Village Facility – a private facility, being built with $7.4 million in taxpayer
dollars- by developers, Continuum Health Care Holdings Ltd. & Vantage West
Development Corporation will add 80 supported living- spaces next year.

August 5, 2013