EDMONTON – AUPE members are sounding the alarm on the crisis in the continuing care system, calling for action on higher quality care and affordability for seniors.
As the AUPE Women’s Committee, and all AUPE members, commemorate the UN International Day of Older Persons today, the crisis is even more apparent.
This year’s theme of “Ageing with Dignity: The Importance of Strengthening Care and Support Systems for Older Persons Worldwide” highlights the essential services AUPE members and other caregivers provide to ensure seniors can live in health and dignity.
Despite the critical need to improve and expand services, Alberta’s continuing care system is in crisis and the provincial government continues to undermine and attack public health care.
“Chronic underfunding, drastic understaffing, and overwhelming workloads have significant negative impact on quality of care and the wellbeing of seniors across the province,” says AUPE Vice-President and Chair of the AUPE Women’s Committee Sandra Azocar. “Addressing these issues is a matter of life and death, but the government instead makes the problem worse.”
Private for-profit providers continue to prioritize the bottom line over the needs of the seniors in their care and the workers that provide that care.
“Seniors are put to bed right after dinner at Extendicare. There is 1 care provider for 45 residents at Seasons Retirement Communities. Seniors are pulled from their beds at 4 am due to lack of day shift staff at Bethany Care Society,” says Azocar. “These are just a few of many examples of the dire situation in private continuing and long-term care homes.”
AUPE members are taking action to Strike a Change, through a campaign calling on the Government of Alberta to fix the crisis in seniors’ care. Highlighting the subpar quality and affordability of seniors’ care, the campaign advocates for key changes to improve the lives of seniors. You can add your voice in demanding change at www.aupe.org/strike-a-change.
-30-
Vice-President Sandra Azocar is available for interviews.
Please contact Maureen Mariampillai, Communications Officer: 780-904-1958 or m.mariampillai@aupe.org.