Eldercare paper more rehash

Letter to the Editor printed in Edmonton Journal
July 19, 2012Re: "Large plan to overhaul eldercare under fire," the Journal, July 17.This draft "concept paper" is a rehash of previous papers put forward by the Alberta government. The paper again emphasizes a strong direction toward assisted-living facilities, which are valuable but fail to provide appropriate care and services to the frail, dependent elderly and the handicapped.These facilities do not fall under the Nursing Homes Act, so the requirement for professional nurses and standards does not have to be met.In southern Alberta, where this concept was introduced a decade ago, older seniors who were then placed in designated-assisted-living facilities are now suffering because their care needs can no longer be met.Our government has failed to provide the next level of necessary care. We do not need more visionary papers and rhetoric. Across the province hundreds of seniors languish in active treatment beds. Other seniors are housed in inappropriate, inadequate care.We implore our government to immediately provide the necessary beds and trained professional staff for the care of very elderly, ailing seniors in Alberta.By Ruth Maria Adria, Elder Advocates of Alberta Society, EdmontonThis letter to the editor was published in the Edmonton Journal on July 19, 2012. Read the full letter on the Edmonton Journal website.