For Immediate Release
March 20
The ACE (Advocates for the Care of the Elderly) Team is very disappointed that the new Provincial Budget does little to address long, overdue needs in long-term care.
According to ACE Team Chair, Gary MacLeod, “While this Budget is supposed to be about “Stronger Services and Supports”, this is clearly not being done for long-term care. Expanding the Caregiver Benefit program or increasing the Seniors Safety grant program does little to improve or provide more long-term care”
MacLeod said that: “What is particularly disturbing is that there are no new long-term care beds or new facilities promised in this Budget. There is some increased operational funding, but it does not make up for the $8 million cut in the previous two years, or even, begin to address years of chronic underfunding and understaffing”.
“It is very troubling that the McNeil government seems to think that home care is the same thing as long-term care. Home care is certainly needed, but it will never replace the need for high quality, adequately staffed long-term care. We need to strengthen both long-term care and home care if we are to have a “robust and flexible continuing care system,” as the government claims, is in place now.
MacLeod wondered: “Do we need to go through a major tragedy before the government wakes up to the need and value of a strong, long-term care system? Action is needed now.”
The ACE Team was started in 2006. It is composed of concerned family members who are appalled by the deteriorating quality of care in nursing homes, and who want to improve the overall standard of living for the elderly.
For more information, please contact:
Gary MacLeod, Chair, ACE Team, ablegrafix1@ns.sympatico.ca
Ian Johnson, Member, ACE Team, johnsonianfeb@gmail.com
