Senior advocate: Politicians should look to keep aging population out of LTC homes

CALGARY – With a federal election on the horizon and many still feeling the effects of the pandemic, care for seniors has been top of mind.

Debbie Franchuk, who is the co-owner of Home Instead, says politicians should be focused on keeping seniors in the houses they live in now instead of moving them into long-term care.

“The best place to care for seniors is in their familiar environments, where they’re surrounded by [people] who know them,” she said.

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She says that leaving seniors in a familiar environment improves longevity where moving can create a number of challenges.

It can be a cost-effective way to care for the aging population, Franchuk says, as some seniors do not need 24/7 care.

“It is way more effective to be able to deliver what they need in those environments to take care of someone in an acute care bed is extremely expensive.”

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She adds she believes governments are well-intentioned when it comes to senior care, but she doesn’t think that political leaders have explored all the options.

“I think myself being a nurse who works in acute care, I wasn’t really aware of what was happening out in the community until I became a home care nurse and knew what we could do in the community. So, I think there’s a disconnect,” she said.