1,500 seniors waiting for spots in nursing facilities
Alberta's continuing care operators predict more ailing elderly could face eviction from subsidized accommodation and a bed shortage for seniors will persist unless the Alberta government increases its financial support of the industry.
Top officials with Alberta's Continuing Care Association are to meet with Premier Ed Stelmach today to demand more money to build and run assisted living facilities.
"There's no good business case to operate long-term care or supported living beds in Alberta right now," said Bruce West, the association's executive director.
"Not only won't you see new facilities being built, but you'll also see a reduction in the ones that are out there."
Officials with Alberta Health Services are scrambling to find new homes for nearly 30 seniors after Chartwell Seniors Housing REIT recently terminated its lease with the health authority for assisted living beds at Carewest Colonel Belcher in Calgary.
The publicly traded company said it can make up to $600 more per month by renting the rooms to private clients.
Top officials with Alberta's Continuing Care Association are to meet with Premier Ed Stelmach today to demand more money to build and run assisted living facilities.
"There's no good business case to operate long-term care or supported living beds in Alberta right now," said Bruce West, the association's executive director.
"Not only won't you see new facilities being built, but you'll also see a reduction in the ones that are out there."
Officials with Alberta Health Services are scrambling to find new homes for nearly 30 seniors after Chartwell Seniors Housing REIT recently terminated its lease with the health authority for assisted living beds at Carewest Colonel Belcher in Calgary.
The publicly traded company said it can make up to $600 more per month by renting the rooms to private clients.
Officials with AHS have admitted Chartwell's decision is a setback to its efforts to find beds for the 1,500 seniors waiting at home or in an acute-care hospital for a space in a nursing home or supported living facility.
While the government is counting on private sector firms to provide 40 per cent of the 1,000 spaces it's adding around Alberta this year, Stelmach said Wednesday he was concerned to hear about the circumstances at the Carewest Colonel Belcher.
"The issue is probably more complex than simple rate increases, subsidies and whether the government should build and operate all seniors facilities all the time, everywhere," Stelmach said in a statement.
Provincial rules allow operators to charge seniors up to $1,700 per month for accommodation and meals at subsidized facilities. In return for providing beds for up to 20 years, the government will fund up to half the cost of construction.
Since 2009, two other Calgary facilities have terminated their leases with AHS for assisted living spaces because of financial reasons.
Liberal MLA Kent Hehr, who met Wednesday with several dozen of the affected seniors at Colonel Belcher, said the province needs to build and operate its own facilities instead of counting on private sector firms.
"The government has set up a system where these guys can have their cake, pour chocolate sauce on top and then eat it, too," Hehr said.
"When times are slow, they're using taxpayer money to build their facilities; then when times are good, they can opt out of the system and charge what the market can bear."
New Democrat Leader Brian Mason said the province is also failing to provide Alberta's seniors the right kind of care. While the government is opening less-expensive, assisted living spaces, it has reneged on a 2008 promise to add 600 nursing home beds that provide residents with higher levels of nursing care.
"They lied in the election," said Mason, "and until that shortage is addressed, our emergency rooms and hospital wards are bound to remain clogged."
While the government is counting on private sector firms to provide 40 per cent of the 1,000 spaces it's adding around Alberta this year, Stelmach said Wednesday he was concerned to hear about the circumstances at the Carewest Colonel Belcher.
"The issue is probably more complex than simple rate increases, subsidies and whether the government should build and operate all seniors facilities all the time, everywhere," Stelmach said in a statement.
Provincial rules allow operators to charge seniors up to $1,700 per month for accommodation and meals at subsidized facilities. In return for providing beds for up to 20 years, the government will fund up to half the cost of construction.
Since 2009, two other Calgary facilities have terminated their leases with AHS for assisted living spaces because of financial reasons.
Liberal MLA Kent Hehr, who met Wednesday with several dozen of the affected seniors at Colonel Belcher, said the province needs to build and operate its own facilities instead of counting on private sector firms.
"The government has set up a system where these guys can have their cake, pour chocolate sauce on top and then eat it, too," Hehr said.
"When times are slow, they're using taxpayer money to build their facilities; then when times are good, they can opt out of the system and charge what the market can bear."
New Democrat Leader Brian Mason said the province is also failing to provide Alberta's seniors the right kind of care. While the government is opening less-expensive, assisted living spaces, it has reneged on a 2008 promise to add 600 nursing home beds that provide residents with higher levels of nursing care.
"They lied in the election," said Mason, "and until that shortage is addressed, our emergency rooms and hospital wards are bound to remain clogged."
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