NDP data details ‘disturbing’ living conditions for Alberta seniors
Posted Apr 11, 2024 5:24 pm.
Last Updated Apr 11, 2024 5:38 pm.
The head of Alberta’s official opposition is out with some concerning data highlighting the state of elderly care in the province.
NDP leader Rachel Notley says the number of non-compliant issues flagged against Alberta care homes has nearly doubled from 2018 to 2023, with many homes being reported for unresolved odours, rodent droppings and not bathing their residents frequently enough.
There are more than 330 non-compliance issues marked as unresolved in the province’s data, according to Notley. More than a third stem from infection prevention and control, 59 are specific to hygienic concerns, 32 were related to policies ensuring seniors were given a minimum of two baths a week.
“Nothing has been posted for at least a couple of years,” Notley says, “While this accountability has fallen off, what do we know? There are over 100 founded reports of abuse and neglect.”
The numbers come as no surprise to Chris Galloway, executive director for Friends of Medicare, who says he’s been concerned about the state of long-term care for years.
“We saw issues during the pandemic that we’ve never taken action to resolve,” he says. “We’ve seen reports from the auditor general, flagging huge concerns about the care being provided, about the workforce issues, about the precarity of that workforce.”
The revelation of the data comes after the legislated minimum standards of care was removed on Apr. 1. The standards outlined the minimum requirements that operators needed to comply with to keep senior properly cared for and staff properly trained.
Now that the province has revised the requirements, the NDP is calling for immediate changes which they hope will improve the lives of vulnerable Albertans.
In an unrelated press conference, health minister Adriana LaGrange said she has “bolstered” the investigation department to allow for more investigations into these complaints.
In a statement to CityNews, a spokesperson for the Minister of Health says the province continues to monitor facilities with non-compliances and increases enforcement when the issues could negatively impact the health or safety of residents.
“We take non-compliances very seriously,” reads the statement. “The minister also recently expanded the division in Alberta Health responsible for investigating these issues.”
