Continuing Care
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Throne Speech: Premiers Should Not Play Partisan Politics with Health Care; Concrete Commitments Needed From Provincial & Federal Governments
EDMONTON (Canada-wide) — Health Coalitions across Canada were pleased with Throne Speech promises to expand public health care to create a universal comprehensive public pharmacare program and to set national standards for long-term care. However, concrete commitments are conspicuously absent.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
September 29, 2020 -
Sawhney must protect the health of Albertans with disabilities and stop privatization
September 17, 2020
EDMONTON
Sawhney must protect the health of Albertans with disabilities and stop privatization
Friends of Medicare are calling on Minister of Community and Social Services Rajan Sawhney to listen to the advice of guardians and a physiotherapist and stop any movement towards privatization of disability services.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
September 17, 2020 -
Albertans & Manitobans to rally online to Fix Seniors’ Care NOW
EDMONTON — Today, Friends of Medicare, Manitoba Health Coalition, our allies, and advocates from across Alberta and Manitoba are taking to social media to call on our respective governments to #FixSeniorsCareNOW.The COVID-19 pandemic has had a devastating and disproportionate toll on Canada’s seniors. With approximately 82% of deaths coming from LTC facilities, this pandemic has exposed the real-life consequences of our governments' inaction.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
May 26, 2020 -
It's Christmas in May for contracted operators of continuing care centres
EDMONTON — Yesterday, the Alberta government announced that they would be committing an additional $170 million for AHS-contracted continuing care facilities, to offset the loss of ‘revenues’ that have resulted from this pandemic. The announcement indicated that this funding is intended to be used for enhanced staffing and additional cleaning supplies, as well as to compensate continuing care providers for lost accommodation revenue. A total of $14.2 million will be provided every month, retroactive to March 15th, and until orders from Alberta's Chief Medical Officer of Health have been lifted.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
May 20, 2020 -
AHS review implementation must put Albertans and public health care at the forefront
EDMONTON — This week marks the 100 days which the Alberta Health Services (AHS) implementation team was given to report back on a detailed plan for which measures recommended in the Ernst & Young (EY) review would be implemented. The COVID-19 response has since put that on hold, but in the meantime, the pandemic has shone a light on the capacity and responsiveness of our public health care system, and has given Albertans pause when it comes to the wrongheaded direction that was recommended in this review.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
May 14, 2020 -
There's no room for profit & privatization in our seniors’ care
EDMONTON — On May 4th Alberta Health Services (AHS) quietly announced that AgeCare was retained to operate Millrise Seniors Village in Calgary. AgeCare Health Services was tasked with overseeing the management and operation of Millrise effective immediately.
According to AHS, a COVID-19 outbreak at Millrise Seniors Village was initially declared at the site on April 15th, and on April 17th they brought in a health care manager to support day-to-day operations at the facility. It was not until the weekend of April 25-26 that AHS brought in an additional 20 AHS staff to support staffing levels and ensure infection control in this facility.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
May 05, 2020 -
Alberta needs to reevaluate our seniors care system
More action needed to relieve continuing care pressures now & going forward
EDMONTON — Yesterday, the provincial government announced that new funding would be made available for staffing of health care aides (HCAs) in continuing care facilities. While this funding is a welcome relief in light of the ongoing COVID-19 crisis currently facing Alberta’s continuing care sector, it is merely a half measure that does not address the root problems that have been plaguing the system for decades.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
April 21, 2020 -
Alberta seniors deserve better now and moving forward
EDMONTON — Seniors in Continuing Care facilities now count for over half of all COVID-19 deaths in Alberta (29 of 46). As of April 13th, the number of those who tested positive in continuing care facilities was 199 and rising. There is no data yet available as to how many workers who provide care to seniors have tested positive.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
April 14, 2020 -
Senior's primary care is more essential than ever during COVID-19
EDMONTON — If the current COVID-19 pandemic can teach us anything, it is the importance of a strong public health care and a strong primary care system. Whether it be a foreseeable shift in demographic health needs, like in the case of Alberta’s steadily aging population, or an unexpected outbreak of a virus, like COVID-19, our health system needs to be able to provide quality, timely care to everyone who needs it. What we don't need, now more than ever, is the closure of our much needed health resources, or the layoffs of our vital health care workers.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
March 20, 2020 -
Friends of Medicare's response to the Throne Speech
Sandra Azocar, Executive Director of Friends of Medicare, made the following statement today following the Alberta government's Throne Speech:
The 2020 Throne Speech not only outlines business that the government will bring to the Legislative Assembly in the upcoming session, but also serves to direct the political discourse and narrative intended to shape and influence how we view and respond to the political challenges facing us.
Written by Fom Friends of Medicare
February 25, 2020