Retirement News : Seniors : Tories grilled over seniors' care staffing

Tories grilled over seniors' care staffing

Date Added: 29-04-2005

An elderly diabetic who stopped eating to protest staff levels at long-term care homes is making her point with politicians. "Is it going to take seniors going on hunger strikes to finally get this government to address the severe understaffing in long-term centres?" asked NDP MLA Ray Martin during a fiery exchange with Health Minister Iris Evans in question period yesterday.

Martin and the Liberal Opposition took up the cause of Marie Geddes, 86, after she told the Sun about the hunger strike she began Monday at the Bethany Long-Term Care Centre's new facility in Camrose.

"... (T)here is a great deal of concern about any senior anywhere in Alberta that represents such an open demonstration of concern," said Evans.

The regional health authority that oversees the care home sent officials there yesterday "to review both the staffing and the issues that may be affecting this senior and other residents there," Evans said. "We want to make sure that the staffing is appropriate to the gravity that faces each senior."

Geddes said she stopped eating because she wants help for the overloaded staff who look after her and other residents.

"We need something done very badly," Geddes said from her room yesterday. "It's the same all over Alberta. There's not much difference." Water and ginger ale keep Geddes going, but that's it. Staff are monitoring her closely, she said.

"I got lots of fight in me," she said. "I'm not going to stop until I hear something (from Alberta Health and the centre's management)."

When asked yesterday if there's a shortage of qualified long-term care staff, Evans said, "There are shortages in all manner of health- care disciplines throughout Alberta. Rural Alberta is not unique."

For More Information:

http://www.canoe.ca/NewsStand/EdmontonSun/News/2005/04/28/1016360-sun.html