The provincial government is putting together a plan of action after a review; implementing 42 recommendations to modernize Alberta’s long-term care system. The report provides recommendations to improve the quality of life for residents and their families as well as the work environment for staff and operators to make better use of taxpayer money. The report also includes learnings from what happened during the pandemic so they can plan for the future.
Health Minister Tyler Shandro says the action plan will be in place by the fall, with some changes being done rapidly. “Continuing care facilities will no longer admit residents into shared rooms that have two residents, called ward rooms.” Shandro says by July 1, 2021 there will no longer be these types of rooms in Alberta.
Also on July 1, immediate initiatives being taken include:
- public reporting of continuing care performance will be expanded to include information on site-specific audits and inspections,
- providing direction to support couples and companions to remain living together in continuing care facilities, if they choose.
- Updating design guidelines for continuing care centres to include learnings from COVID-19 and targeting capital funding to support a greater variety of models for upcoming builds.
- Providing capital grant funding to support Indigenous groups for continuing care services in the communities where they live.
- Expanding community care and services options to enable more people to stay at home.
Shandro says the report indicates the need for continuing care services in Alberta will grow 62% by the year 2030, and services will need to adjust to meet the growing demand including home care services.
To read the final report click here.
-Erika Rolling, Trending 55 Newsroom
