EDMONTON — Every October 1 is recognized as the International Day of Older Persons. This year’s theme is The Age of Longevity: Rethinking Systems for Longer Lives. Today, Friends of Medicare are renewing our calls for the provincial government to rethink our continuing care and home care systems by implementing long-overdue improvements to meet the needs of the growing population requiring these crucial health care services.

EDMONTON — Two costly changes to the Alberta Health Care Insurance Act take effect on October 1, due to Bill 11 (the Health Statutes Amendment Act, 2025, no. 2).

EDMONTON — Bargaining is ongoing at a number of AgeCare continuing care facilities in Alberta, where staff have not had a contract since 2022. The union representing these workers, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees, has issued a formal complaint over bargaining delays, and has reported the employer has offered meager wage increases of just 1% over four years. They also report that there exist “significant disparities” in benefit levels between AgeCare, a for-profit continuing care operator, and Alberta’s publicly-operated Alberta Health Services (AHS) and Carewest.

EDMONTON — The first full week of June each year is Alberta Seniors’ Week. It is a chance for Albertans to show appreciation for Alberta’s seniors and all that they contribute to our province. Friends of Medicare is marking this Seniors’ Week by continuing to call for properly funded home care and for the Alberta government to stop their attacks on Continuing Care.

EDMONTON — Yesterday afternoon, the Premier and her Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services held a large news conference simply to announce that they are launching a navigation portal for those seeking to access continuing care and assisted living options in Alberta.

Home care, long-term care advocates say government is neglecting seniors in Alberta

EDMONTON — Yesterday, the Alberta government quietly changed the maximum prescription drug co-payment for Alberta seniors, without so much as a formal announcement. Seniors currently pay up to $25 per prescription, which is set to increase by a dollar each month to a maximum of $35 per prescription by April 1, 2026.

EDMONTON — Friends of Medicare and activists within the disability community are returning to the Alberta Legislature today to renew our calls on the UCP government to improve our home care system. In March 2024 this petition was first tabled in the Legislature. More than a year later, our calls for improved home care funding and services in Alberta have remained ignored by this government. As of today, our petition has reached over 37,000 signatures in support, and will be tabled again in the Legislature today following Question Period.

EDMONTON — The 2025 provincial budget will be tabled in the legislature next Thursday, February 27th. Heading into the budget, the provincial government continues to roll out their expensive and chaotic restructuring of public health care in Alberta, while doubling-down on their failing privatization strategies.

EDMONTON — Ahead of the provincial budget, Friends of Medicare and activists within the disability community are once again calling on the Alberta government to improve and properly fund home care. Without immediate investment, our home care system will continue to fail the 127,000 Albertans who rely upon it.