Alberta long-term care facilities are woefully understaffed and their workers are underpaid, says a provincial government report on the continuing care system.
“Staffing is a huge issue and is an issue that needs to be addressed immediately,” said Len Webber, one of two Progressive Conservative MLAs who sat on the task force looking into the care of seniors in Alberta.
At almost every facility the elected members toured, they saw a need for more people to look after the basic needs of dependent long-term residents. With few full-time positions and little training for existing staff, the recruitment and retention of qualified staff is a major issue across the province, said the report.
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“You must give people a job they can make a living at and give them a living wage,” said Ray Prins, the other Conservative MLA on the task force.
The two Tory MLAs and Liberal MLA Bridget Pastoor toured the province between June and August looking at facilities and talking to families about the care in the province’s care facilities.
The two government MLAs came up with 45 recommendations to improve care in a report released Sept. 7. The Liberal MLA was not involved in writing the report.
Diane Nielson, executive director of the Alberta Long Term Care Association, said she agreed with all the report’s recommendations, but is doubtful how many will be adopted by the government. She’s waiting for similar recommendations made in the 1999 Broda Report to be implemented.
“We’re quite happy with these implementations if the minister will implement them,” said Nielson.
The care association estimates it will take an additional $85 million to increase the number of staff to a level that would properly care for the residents. Alberta now spends $1 billion on long-term care and assisted living facilities. The report didn’t suggest a financial amount required to implement its suggestions.
It’s not just staffing that needs help, said the task force members. There are problems with food, dispute resolution and training.
“The whole system needs help,” said Prins, who was appointed to the task force after auditor general Fred Dunn released a damning report of the province’s long-term care facilities earlier this year.
Dunn documented cases where seniors waited hours to be taken to the bathroom or be dressed. Some seniors were routinely sedated to help deal with staff shortages.
After touring the province Prins said the facilities ranged from “very, very good to very unsatisfactory.”
Webber said he was shocked to see couples separated in their later years.
“That bothered me. I thought that was not the right thing to do.”
Nielson said the complaints aren’t going to go away without money. The facilities get their money from fees paid by the residents and the regional health authorities funded by the provincial government.
The task force heard complaints from rural communities where there are no long-term care facilities, seniors lodges or other assisted living facilities. The report recommended each region have a variety of supportive living and long-term care spaces.
