QUESTION: Do we know what our elected MLAs are saying on the record about problems in the province’s long term care system?
ANSWER: Yes. Here are some excerpts from discussions in the Legislative Assembly recorded in Alberta Hansard.
March 23, 2005 Medication for Seniors
Bridget Pastoor, Liberal Seniors Critic, to the Minister of Health and Wellness
A University of Lethbridge study of 1,500 residents in 24 Alberta nursing homes found that there is a high use of sedative and antipsychotic drugs, almost double the use in Europe and the U.S. These drugs are potentially dangerous given their side effects and, in particular the fear of falling. What will the Minister do regarding these reports that Alberta seniors are being drugged to make up for staff shortages in nursing homes?
Iris Evans, Minister of Health and Wellness
… we’re working with health authorities and with the attending physicians to make sure that they are used in an appropriate fashion. Mr. Speaker, for the largest part I’m satisfied that they are.”
Bridget Pastoor
Again to the minister of health: what guarantee could you give the families of nursing home residents … that their loved ones are not being unnecessarily sedated?
Minister Evans
Mr. Speaker, you know, with great regret it sounds to me like there is some sense of allegation here that doctors are overprescribing for their patients in long-term care facilities.
_____________________________
April 7, 2005 Protection For Persons in Long-Term Care
Brian Mason, NDP Leader, to the Premier
Given that the Ombudsman two years ago clearly substantiated the complaints of residents, why has the government still failed to implement a proper process for investigating abuse and neglect in long term care?
Premier Klein
Well, Mr. Speaker, I believe that there is in place a proper process…
Bridget Pastoor, Liberal Seniors Critic, to the Minister of Seniors and Community
Supports
I, too, have just returned from that very disturbing press conference held by the Elder Advocates of Alberta, and to me it was very clear that the Protection for Persons in Care Act has shamefully failed Albertans. Has this government established who is ultimately accountable, for the quality of life of vulnerable residents in long-term care?
Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
As you know, this act was proclaimed in 1998, It was the first of its kind in Canada, and it has led the way. It’s a model for the rest of Canada. …. I’m also working with the Minister of Justice, the Minister of Health and Wellness and the Minister of Children’s Services in order to develop a comprehensive, coordinated approach to the Protection for Persons in Care Act. …. We take allegations of abuse very seriously. It is really important. It is. It is important that persons that are living and being cared for in our public facilities are safe, that they’re being treated with dignity and respect. I can tell you this, Mr. Speaker: if this legislation does not meet those goals, I will make the necessary amendments to ensure that the act does.
_____________________________
April 18, 2005 Long-term Care Facilities
Brian Mason, NDP Leader, to the Premier
Mr. Speaker, the appalling conditions in long-term care facilities are Alberta’s dirty little secret. Accommodation and related charges to long term care residents keep going up, but living conditions remain deplorable. Staffing levels are woefully inadequate, facilities are overcrowded, and inspections are few and far between. Why, after this government has been in power for 34 years and posted billions of dollars in surpluses over the past 10 years, are the province’s most vulnerable seniors forced to live in such appalling conditions?
Premier Klein
Mr. Speaker, the preamble is to say at least rude, insensitive, offensive, and totally false.
_____________________________
May 2, 2005 Motion Long Term Care Standards
Brian Mason, NDP Leader
“Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly urge the government to take immediate steps to improve the quality of care provided to Albertans living in long-term care facilities by improving staffing ratios, introducing enhanced standards for long-term care facilities, and implementing more frequent and rigorous facility inspections.”
Lloyd Snelgrove, PC MLA Vermillion-Lloydminster
[Countered the motion to read:] “Be it resolved that the Legislative Assembly urge the government to take further steps to improve the quality of care provided to Albertans living in long-term care facilities by reviewing staffing levels, introducing enhanced standards for long-term care facilities, and ensuring that frequent and rigorous inspections continually occur.”
I believe this amendment will more accurately reflect the practices that are in place already while reminding us that we must continue to take strides to make the best system in Canada even better.
_____________________________
May 10, 2005 Health Facilities Review Committee
Dr. Kevin Taft, Leader of the Official Opposition, to the Premier
Yesterday the Auditor General added yet another voice to the chorus of people calling for change with a series of shocking revelations. Given the bland utterances from this government’s Health Facilities Review Committee, how did that committee miss the boat so badly on the quality of care problems in long-term care facilities?
Premier Klein:
Mr. Speaker, the Health Facilities Review Committee does a marvelous job. They drop in unannounced to many long-term care centres and report to the appropriate minister.
Dr. Kevin Taft, Leader of the Official Opposition
Again to the Premier: given that the government spends over $500,000 a year on the Health Facilities Review Committee, yet it only completed two investigations into complaints last year, will the Premier disband this committee and create a long-term care ombudsman office, staffed with qualified professionals? [some applause]
Premier Klein
Well, I hear a lot of thumping over there. I don’t know what for.
_____________________________
May 10, 2005 User Fees in Long-Term Care Facilities
Laurie Blakeman, Liberal Opposition Health Critic
It took the release of a report by the Auditor General to make this government finally acknowledge what the Official Opposition, advocacy groups, staff, families, and residents have been saying for years. The report says that over 50 per cent of basic administration standards were not met. For example, residents were charged user fees for bed alarms, for delivering specimens to the lab, and for the very restraint systems that restrict their movements. My question to the Premier. Why is the government allowing these facilities to charge user fees for what most people believe is already covered?
Premier Klein
… as I said before, we are reviewing the recommendations of the Auditor General. Relative to action that has already been taken and relative to action that might be taken, I defer to the hon. Minister.
Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
As the Premier mentioned, we are reviewing the recommendations of the Auditor General. This hon. Member that asked the question regarding user fees is very aware that people, as they go into a facility – it depends on the facility, but they know that there are issues and there are areas of care that they do pay a fee for. That can include, you know, having your hair done. That can include laundry facilities. It depends on the facility.
Laurie Blakeman
Again to the Premier: why does the government believe it’s appropriate to charge patients for restraints?
Premier Klein
I don’t know the details relative to the operations of long-term care centres generally in this province. But I can repeat what the hon. Minister of Health and Wellness said yesterday, with the hon. Leader of the Opposition in attendance. She said, and I quote, that in the future she will revoke government funding to facilities that are not performing as required.
Laurie Blakeman
Again to the Premier: will the government put an immediate stop to user fees being charged for medical services and safety equipment in long-term care facilities? Stop it now.
Premier Klein
… I have in front of me the report of the Auditor General. I don’t know what it says relative to user fees.
An Hon. Member
You haven’t read it?
Premier Klein
No, I haven’t read it. In response to some of the yipping and yapping from across the way, I have not read the report, but I will. I will read the report, and it’s a very thick report, well, comparatively thick. I’m sure they haven’t read it either, verbatim, word for word. Tell me, what’s on page 57? They give us a bunch of malarkey about having read the report. They haven’t read the report any more than I’ve read the report. At least I’m honest enough to admit it.
_____________________________
May 10, 2005 EMERGENCY DEBATE Long-Term Care Facility Standards
The Speaker
The hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood on a Standing Order 30 application.
Brian Mason, NDP Leader
Yes. Mr. Speaker, I would move that the ordinary business of the Assembly be adjourned to hold an emergency debate on a matter of urgent public importance; namely, the ongoing suffering of residents of long-term care facilities in Alberta as identified by the May 2005 report of the Auditor General.
If I may speak to the urgency on that, Mr. Speaker, the Assembly only received the Auditor General’s report yesterday, but we have heard from the government that it may be some months, in fact in the fall, before they are finally able to present an action plan to address the Auditor General’s concerns. The reason for immediately debating long-term care is the indisputable fact that Albertans are suffering and are even in life-threatening situations. The report found that only seven of 25 facilities visited fully met even basic standards; that is, about 30 per cent of facilities. With more than 14,000 beds across the province more than 4,000 residents are likely to be in facilities where their basic needs are not currently being met. For residents who are not having their basic needs met, the urgency of this debate is obvious.
Dave Hancock, Government House Leader
Mr. Speaker, even on the face of the notice of motion I would say that the issue of urgency is improperly framed. First of all, I will indicate that I haven’t had the opportunity to read through the report in detail, but I have skimmed the report. I have looked at reviews of the report. I don’t believe the report indicates that there’s ongoing suffering of residents in long-term care facilities in Alberta, not do I think that the report says that the long-term care system is in crisis.
In fact, when the Auditor General indicates that some of the institutions in the province aren’t meeting the basic guidelines, that dose not equate to the hon. Member for Edmonton-Highlands-Norwood’s statement that basic needs of seniors are not currently being met. That is not the same statement, Mr. Speaker. To raise the level of what we’re talking about here to crisis proportions or to make statements that the basic needs of seniors are not being met is entirely inappropriate.
Mr. Speaker, as I’ve said, the Auditor Genera’s report doesn’t identify the suffering as
the hon. member has said. It doesn’t indicate that there’s a crisis in long-term care. It does indicate that there are a number of very important issues that have to be dealt with. Those issues do have to dealt with, and the ministers responsible have indicated that they will.
For example, the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports this afternoon indicated that $200,000 – I believe I heard that from her this afternoon – was provided to the Alberta Senior Citizens Housing Association and Long Term Care Association to help update the accommodation standards and accountability mechanisms, to help update the very standards that the Auditor General is talking about.
Laurie Blakeman, Liberal Opposition Health Critic
What the Auditor General talks about is, in fact, risk, and he very clearly outlines that.
Mr. Speaker, I would argue that Oral Question Period, with a 450second exchange, is not the proper forum to discuss an issue of such breadth and severity. In particular, hearing the Premier’s as well as the minister of seniors’ answers to the questions that were asked today, I would argue that their answers were not sufficient to allay the concern and to address the risks that have been outlined in the Auditor General’s report.
Ray Prins, PC MLA Lacombe-Ponoka
I’d like to also make a few comments about the Standing Order 30 motion. It says in the motion that they want to talk about ‘a matter of urgent public important; namely, the ongoing suffering of residents in long-term care facilities.’ Now, I’m not going to deny that there could be some suffering happening there, but I don’t think it’s a huge, huge problem. I don’t think it’s a serious enough issue at this point in time to hold up the normal activities of the House. … The care that the seniors are getting is very good. I would say that in 100 per cent of the homes that I have visited, the people are being well looked after.
I’m pleased that the minister of seniors has taken immediate action. That’s why I’m thinking we don’t have to have this discussion today because the ministers of both health and seniors have taken immediate action in appointing a continuing care review committee. The Member for Calgary-Foothills and myself will be co-chairing or leading this committee.
We will be having these discussions, traveling around the province hearing what the issues are, and we will be making some kind of a recommendation as soon as possible.
We feel that the continuum of care that we provide in these homes throughout the province is very important. It’s not only our duty but our mandate and what we want to do because we love these people, to ensure that the standards are monitored and enforced and that they get the absolute very best care that they can get in our province.
The Speaker
This Standing Order 30 arrived in my office at 3:55 p.m. yesterday, so it afforded ample opportunity for the chair to review the report itself. All members should know that the chair has read the report two times word by word, underlining, so there was very attentive attention given to the Auditor General’s report. Should there be a test as to what was said on pages 52 or 54, perhaps we’d give the right answer.
Although the chair has concerns with the wording of the hon. member’s motion, the chair is hard-pressed to find that this matter is not a genuine emergency. The very fact that almost one-third of the long-term care facilities under review did not meet basic standards of those Albertans who have undoubtedly played an important role in the first century of this province is of a very grave nature.
Dr. Oberg, Minister of Infrastructure and Transportation
The first issue that I will bring up is the whole idea of an accountant going out and auditing a nursing home, a long-term care facility and making comments about what medically is being done. I do have some significant issues with that.
I think that the standards do have to be updated. But, Mr. Speaker, as a case for being a critical emergency, I do not believe so.
A report like this is the danger. When people go in, take a snapshot of what is occurring, take a look at the regulations and the documentation, and assume that patient care isn’t there, that’s the problem. That’s why I have a huge problem with this report.
Mr. Goudreau, PC MLA Dunvegan-Central Peace
Most residents of long-term care facilities receive excellent health care thanks to the hard work and compassion of staff.
Laurie Blakeman, Liberal Opposition Health Critic
My question, Mr. Speaker, is: why did it take so long to get to this point? If we hadn’t had that Auditor General’s report released yesterday, we would have had the same response from the government members today that everything was fine. That’s what’s truly troubling to me. The system that is in place to actually monitor what’s going on, the government-supported system, the Health Facilities Review Committee and the Tory backbenchers that are appointed to this committee – what happened? Why did they not catch any of this? Why?
Len Webber, PC MLA Calgary- Foothills
I am very humbled to be assigned this important task of leading the government consultation efforts on continuing care health service standards. … in my past life I’ve spent many hours, many days, many months working in health care facilities as both a consultant and volunteer. I’ve seen first-hand quality care in these homes in the Calgary area. The people who work in these facilities are absolutely dedicated to what they do. The Auditor General’s report was a bit of a surprise to me, and I am committed this summer to going out and seeking these areas, these places, these facilities where the Auditor General notes these problems.
Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
We have been working with the regional health authorities, the Alberta Long Term Care Association, the Alberta Senior Citizens Housing Association, and we’ve been working with them since January to modify and update the existing standards.
The average number of care hours was spoken about earlier. The basic standard may call for 1.9. care hours per residents, but that had been increased to 3.1, and my understanding is that there’s been funding in the budget to increase those hours to 3.4 Mr. Speaker, I think it’s important too, that we recognize that we had $15 million added to the health budget, but to the seniors budget we had $2 million dollars that were added to put in these important standards.
Rev. Abbott, PC MLA Drayton Valley-Calmar
People are literally trying anything to get into these facilities. There are long waiting lists to get in because people want to live there. Trust me: in rural communities people talk. If things were bad, if the facilities were not good, if the care was not adequate, then there would not be any waiting lists. In fact, there would be vacancies because the word would be out. That’s certainly not the case. They have great recreation facilities, as I’ve mentioned, beautiful landscapes.
Dr. Brown, PC MLA Calgary-Nose Hill
I don’t want to minimize the fact that there are certain problems in the care of seniors in the long-term care facilities and in the lodges; however, they sky is not falling. By a long shot it’s not falling.
_____________________________
May 11, 2005 Long Term Care Facility Standards
Bridget Pastoor, Liberal Seniors Critic, to the Premier
How is the continuing care review committee going to be any different or more effective than the Health Facilities Review Committee, that appears to have failed so badly.
The Premier
Well, Mr. Speaker, the Health Facilities Review Committee, notwithstanding the assertions of the Leader of the Official Opposition, has done a good job of inspecting facilities, including long-term care facilities and other health facilities. … I can tell the hon. member that where serious problems are found at a facility, the health care review committee will immediately advise the Minister of Health and Wellness – immediately – and all allegations of mistreatment, abuse, neglect are reported directly to the protection of persons in care. There are mechanisms in place to address problems of neglect and abuse.
Brian Mason, NDP Leader
This is not a personal question to the Premier; it’s a question about his government’s performance. What’s so hard about saying sorry and apologizing for years of neglect and foot-dragging on the serious problems that the Auditor General identified?
The Premier
Mr. Speaker, I will not apologize for a statement that is absolutely wrong, inflammatory. The statement ‘years of neglect’ is wrong. It is wrong, and this member should be apologizing for making such an outrageous statement.
_____________________________
November 15, 2005 Continuing Care Review
Len Webber, PC MLA Calgary- Foothills (Co-chair, Task force on Continuing Care)
As you are aware, this past summer myself along with the hon. Member for Lacombe-Ponoka and the hon. Member for Lethbridge-East were members of an MLA Task Force on Continuing Care Health Service and Accommodation Standards. Our mandate was to hold consultation meetings with a variety of continuing care stakeholders, to hold public forums, to tour many long term care facilities, and to ask many questions in order to gain insight into the quality of continuing care services being offered here in Alberta. A final report was developed and submitted to the government, indicating what we heard during our consultations, and 45 recommendations were suggested in order to improve the quality of services for Albertans and their families who require continuing care services. My question to the hon. Minister of health and Wellness. Now that the report is in your hands, when will your ministry implement the immediate actions recommended in order o ensure that residents receive quality health and personal care services?
Iris Evans, Minister of Health and Wellness
First of all, along with members of this Assembly, I think that we should thank every member of that task force for the incredible work that they did throughout the summer. Mr. Speaker, continuing care is a very difficult and emotional issue. We have received the report. I’m very pleased to work with my colleague the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports to examine what we can do immediately and in the upcoming years to answer the recommendations and to have a thorough discussion of the report and to make sure that we follow through on the recommendations.
Len Webber to the Minister of Health and Wellness
Again to the Minister of Health and Wellness. During the consultation period the task force heard day, day out how there is a shortage of health care professionals. What new strategy does the minister plan to develop regarding the recruitment and retention of these health care professionals?
Iris Evans, Minister of Health and Wellness
We will come out with more information on that in a very short period of time, but may I say that after the Auditor General’s report we immediately increased the staffing level requirement in all regional health authorities from 3.1 to 3.4. In concert with the regional health authorities we’re examining the training component that’s recommended in the report, the workforce requirements, the workforce needs, the predominant recommendation about medications.
Len Webber to the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
My final question is to the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports. Given that the needs of seniors living in our lodges have grown more complex in recent years, can the minister ensure that lodge operators can provide appropriate services to our seniors?
Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
As you know, we have 144 lodges in Alberta, and those lodges, as the hon. member indicated, are providing care for seniors that are more frail. It is one of the first points of entry in the continuum of care that was addressed in the report for our seniors, and being more frail, they have higher needs, especially related to mobility and personal care needs. We do provide a per diem to lodge operators through our lodge assistance program. I can tell you, hon. member, that based on this excellent report from your committee, I will ensure that lodge operators have the resources that are needed to ensure that their clients have high quality services, but more importantly I also will ensure that it not affect the lower income and moderate seniors.
_____________________________
November 17, 2005 Continuing Care Funding
Kevin Taft, Leader of the Official Opposition to the Premier
Again, my question is to the Premier. Given that people across the province are sitting right now in short-staffed, substandard long-term care facilities, how did this government decide that everything from a zoo to a movie is worth funding this fall but not extra staff in long-term care facilities?
Premier Klein
Mr. Speaker, it’s too bad that the hon. leader of the Liberal opposition didn’t stay around at the AAMD and C conference today, where we made an announcement relative to $140 million, that hopefully they’ll support, being spent for seniors and affordable housing around the province, primarily in the rural areas.
Kevin Taft, Leader of the Official Opposition
Perhaps the Premier can tell us how much of that $140 million is going to extra staff now to support people in long-term care facilities?
Premier Klein
Mr. Speaker, the question is specific to the departments of health and seniors, so I’ll have the appropriate ministers respond.
Iris Evans, Minister of Health and Wellness
Mr. Speaker, the recommendations from the task force came forward, were collaborated upon, and they did in fact identify staffing as an issue. Presently through the standing policy committee the report that’s been finalized by our members for Lacombe-Ponoka and Calgary-Foothills – we also had input from the Member for Lethbridge East, who served on the committee. We have taken that report and taken a very serious look at what any interim implementation costs would be for staff. I think, if the hon. member listens for a few more days, in a very few weeks, hopefully before Christmas, we’ll have some very good news about staffing and some of the recommendations that were, in fact, part of that report.
Kevin Taft, Leader of the Official Opposition
To the Minister of health and Wellness: why did this government choose in its recent spending spree not to allocate funding for front-line staff in continuing care given that the Auditor General and the MLA task force and friends and family and staff and industry all recommended it? Why are they waiting?
Iris Evans, Minister of Health and Wellness
Relative to the unbudgeted surplus, as the hon. member opposite knows, there are definite rules surrounding how we expend that. In terms of getting this report …[interjections] Mr. Speaker, maybe they’re not interested in the answer. Maybe they’re not interested. The answer, in fact, is that we have to take a look at it. … We asked for what the regional health authorities currently have in staffing. We upped the staffing from 3.1 hourly support for long-term care to 3.4 hourly support for long-term care this year. In many facilities where that support was not available, we have been looking at accelerating our training for staffing. If the hon. members opposite will be patient for a few more days, I’m sure that we’ll be able to illustrate to Albertans that our number one priority is looking after the long-term care and following through with the great work that was done assessing needs.
Bridget Pastoor, Liberal Seniors Critic
I rise at this time to move the following motion: be it resolved that this Assembly adjourn the ordinary business of the Assembly to discuss a matter of urgent public importance; namely, the failure of the government to provide the additional resources required to reduce the grave and immediate risks to the health and physical security of seniors living in long-term care facilities as identified in the May ’05 Report of the Auditor General in Seniors Care and Programs and further explored by the MLA task force this summer.
The Speaker
I’m going to allow very, very brief comments on this, but the hon. member in pushing this thing has failed to tell me why this does not violate 30(7)(d), which is the most important rule that we have in the Standing Orders with respect to dealing with this.
… The rules provide that is it has been discussed once and we waive the whole Routine for the afternoon to deal with a particular matter once during a session, we do not do it twice on that subject. That’s 30(7)(d). We’ve already done it once. We’ve had this. We did this on May 10, which was during the First Session of the 26th Legislature. So that’s the pertinent point for the urgency: how would this not be the same? I haven’t heard any additional arguments with respect to this. I’m sorry. I’m not putting the question. We’re going to move on.
_____________________________
November 23, 2005 Supplementary Estimates 2005- 06
General Revenue Fund and Lottery Fund
Iris Evans, Minister of Health and Wellness
Alberta Health and Wellness requested an extra $64.6 million in the supplementary estimates this year to provide funding for 14 health capital projects. The funding was part of a multi-year, $1.4. billion announcement that was made for 20 capital projects on October 14. There’s an investment here of dollars from the unbudgeted surplus, and it will provide additional bed capacity in the form of new buildings, renovations, and expansion of existing facilities. This historic investment is evidence of our commitment to take concrete action on wait-time reduction.
Laurie Blakeman, Liberal Health Critic
…I take it that there is no money for long-term care or to do anything with long-term care prior to the next fiscal year, as it is not listed in what we are looking at for supplementary supply. So can the minister, then, confirm that there is no money that has been allocated for the implementation of the recommendations from the long-term care review or from the Auditor General’s report from May of 2005?
Iris Evans, Minister of Health and Wellness
… Let me just say at the outset that the unbudgeted surplus that’s been the basic host for the
expenditure is to host capital expenditures.
… Long-term care, because it is predominantly staffing, although there is an accommodation portion of it as well, which the Minister of Seniors and Community Supports has in her department, will be something that we will come forward and talk about at a different time. The approvals were announced in October, and these supplementary estimates focus on those approvals. Later approvals would come from later dollars that would be available. So that would deal with long-term care and any additional funding.
Brian Mason, NDP Leader
I want to ask a little about long-term care; that is, the conversion of long-term care beds to assisted-living beds. This is an area of great concern to us right now: what the challenges are when a bed is changed from a long-term care bed to an assisted-living bed., what services are no longer covered or are no longer received by the person in that bed, what the cost savings are to the owners of the facility, what the additional costs may be to access those services outside the system – what is the policy of the government toward controlling the conversion of long-term care beds into assisted living, and how much conversion has already taken place? – what the stock of long-term care beds is, what the government’s plan is, what the government estimates the need for long-term care beds to be in the future, and how we relate to that.
I would also like to ask the minister on the same point what the government’s commitment is relative to the Auditor General’s report on long-term care. At the time that the Auditor General made his report on long-term care, the Premier stood in this House and said that the government was committing to every single recommendation of the Auditor General. But then the government appointed a committee of MLAs, including a Conservative MLA and Liberal MLA, and that report came back with a considerably less rigorous set of recommendations than the Auditor General had. So if the government is going to adopt those recommendations, dose this mean that they are no longer committed to adopting and putting into place all of the recommendations of the Auditor Genera’s report? That’s a very important questions because it’s created a lot of confusion about where the government’s commitment actually lies.
Iris Evans, Minister of Health and Wellness
…In terms of long-term care and moves to assisted living, that is something that the hon. Member for Lethbridge-East and the government members on the long-term care review panel looked over very seriously. In the definition of standards that will ultimately come forward – they are in draft form now – we have to have very carefully articulated protocols because my understanding is that two things are in play. The assisted-living definition isn’t the same in every community. Also, the long-term care patients that are more appropriately placed in assisted living need to be assured through their assessments that they are suitable for those placements, and ultimately the standards will compel that to happen.
In the short term in Chinook, for example, where many are being located to assisted-living supports, there’s careful work being done both with the guardians or the families involved, and hopefully those placements – some with be grandfathered – will be in the best interests of the patient, which is ultimately the responsibility of the health service delivery.
I see that he Auditor General’s report was one piece to be responded to, and yes, we accepted those recommendations. The recommendations from the MLA committee that reviewed long-term care will supplement and add to the strength of those recommendations, gave a more detailed opportunity for us to review the issues, and I would suggest that when we ultimately bring forward the government response and the plan for implementation, the hon member will be reassured that we are making some gains on that.
I think that the difficulty that I face in reviewing all of those reports is that it’s not having standards on paper that is ultimately going to affect better care for people in long-term care or in home care or in assisted living. It’s having the staff understanding and the commitment and the regional health authority commitment to making sure that that implementation takes place that will tell the tale. So we have work to do.
_____________________________
November 24, 2005 Introductions
Bridget Pastoor, Seniors Critic
I am privileged today to introduce to you and through you to this Assembly a man who is involved in a very public and courageous struggle to ensure that no one will suffer neglect, as his mother did, in long-term care in this province. He wants he very best care for all. I would ask that Mr. Robert Warden, who is in the public gallery, rise and accept the traditional welcome of this House.
Death of Patient in Long-Term Care
Bridget Pastoor, Seniors Critic
In September for-profit, long-term care resident Jean Warden dies of dehydration, malnutrition, and an infection. This government bears some responsibility for the failure to take immediate action following the Auditor General’s May 2005 report. Four separate investigations have been launched through the College of Physicians and Surgeons, Capital Health, and two through the protection for persons in care office. Sadly, the results will come as no surprise to anyone. Given that Robert Warden, Jean Warden’s son, is committed to an open and accountable process, will the minister guarantee that the results of these investigations will be made public?
Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
You know, it would be inappropriate for me to comment in the Assembly on the personal health care needs of individuals and especially those that are related to the case that the member has brought forward. Having said that, I can tell you that the Protection for Persons in Care Act, Mr. Speaker, does allow for investigations that are filed. Reports are taken, and investigators are appointed to the file. The report is given in its entirety to the complainant. The complainant looks at that report and will evaluate the report. If they have nay change that they’d like to see to the report, they can give that back to the investigator. There is very much a two-way communication in that process.
Bridget Pastoor, Seniors Critic
Would the Minister launch a fatality inquiry to ensure a complete and full examination of all facts, leading to key directives that may prevent a similar situation?
Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
Given that question relates to a fatality inquiry, I would like to direct it to the Minister of Justice.
Ron Stevens, Minister of Justice
The Fatalities Inquiries Act is under my responsibility. The circumstances that give rise to an inquiry essentially are as follows. If there is an attending physician, that attending physician can raise the matter with the medical examiner and an inquiry into the cause of death would be done by the medical examiner. A family member can raise the matter with the medical examiner, and the medical examiner would look into the issue. If the medical examiner’s office has cause for concern, he can then ask the Fatality Review Board to review the matter. The Fatality Review Board reviews certain deaths investigated by the medical examiner’s office in order to determine whether or not a public fatality should be held. If one of those circumstances arises, then the medical examiner’s office becomes involved. If none of those circumstances arise, then he does not.
Long-Term Care
Ray Martin, NDP MLA
…My question is to the minister of seniors. How can the minister justify allowing a long-term care facility to change its designation overnight with the very same vulnerable seniors so that it has fewer staff, less care, and higher prices?
Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
We all know that long-term care has evolved dramatically over the past few years. The community is meeting that need. It has changed from just having lodges that previously, even 15 years ago, were available for people that were approximately the age 65. Yesterday, I was speaking to the association for seniors with housing, the average age is 86 in a lodge. That changes the care needs.
People no longer move directly from a lodge into long-term care. There has to be a middle component. … It’s designated assisted living and assisted living, and it is working in the communities. In fact, it’s the communities that have come forward with the plans and the fundraising and showed us the need in the community for our seniors.
Ray Martin, NDP MLA
I’m absolutely amazed at what they’re doing. It’s the same people, the very same people, and they’re changing the designation to where there are no standards. How can that be better for the people in those facilities?
Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
Well, Mr. Speaker, if this member had read that task force report, he would see that the standards that were in place in 1995 have been updated through the regional health authorities, through the care operators, through ASCHA, the Alberta Senior Citizens’ Housing Association. Those standards have been updated. They were taken to the community through the long-term care task force, and they are now being worked upon with the Minister of Health and Wellness and myself and will be brought forward here very soon as to what are the current standards meeting the supportive living for seniors.
Mr. Martin, NDP MLA
Mr. Speaker, I’m trying to ask the minister very simply: when an institution overnight changes its designation to where the Auditor General says that there are no standards, how can that be for the betterment of the people in that facility?
Yvonne Fritz, Minister of Seniors and Community Supports
Mr. Speaker, I can tell you this: we have over 330,000 seniors in this province of Alberta over the age of 65; 10 per cent of those seniors are over the age of 85. That is increasing by 40 per cent within the next 10 years. The change that comes about with that is that there are chronic health care needs, there is dementia, and there is Alzheimer’s. Those needs are being addressed through designated assisted living and assisted living, where people are in a care setting, where they can bring their own furniture to their rooms. They can have essential cooking. It’s just a far better level of care.
