AUPE Celebrates Health Care Aides on HCA day

Today is the second annual Health Care Aide (HCA) day in Alberta, and to honour some of our province’s hardest working and underserved frontline care workers, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) members are sponsoring the 2019 Health Care Aide Conference in Edmonton.
 
AUPE represents over 13,000 HCAs, working in public and private care, supporting seniors, the disabled and the chronically ill across Alberta, in hospitals, homes and continuing care.
 
“HCAs are the faces some of the province’s most vulnerable people see every day,” said HCA and AUPE Vice-President Bonnie Gostola. “They’re dedicated health-care professionals, a second family, and a strong voice for those who often go unheard.”
 
HCAs work around the clock as part of nursing care teams across Alberta to treat and prevent illness, and provide emotional support through the beginning of life, the end, and in between. Still they are often left understaffed, underpaid and under-resourced.
 
“In Alberta, continuing care is a particularly exploitative industry, and HCAs often get the brunt of this,” adds Gostola.
 
“Over the years our province’s political leaders have done close to nothing to ensuring HCAs, their nursing care teams, and the people they support are protected from private continuing care operators trying to profit of their backs.”
 
To make matters worse for Albertans, just yesterday, UCP Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced that the province’s Licensed Practical Nurses (LPNs) will be asked to do more with less – broadening the scope of practice for frontline staff without the promise of better resources.
 
“As a critical part of nursing care teams that often include LPNs, HCAs will be affected by this decision,” said Gostola. “Tug on one thread and you threaten the whole fabric. This is why our members are standing together stronger than ever right now, and HCAs are definitely leading the charge with their brothers, sisters and fellow workers.”