Thirty-two new supportive living suites geared towards caring for people with dementia and other complex medical needs are now open at Sunset Manor in Innisfail.
The supportive living units were announced Aug. 30 and will provide assistance with personal care, including hygiene, toileting, medications and mobility, 15 of which are in a secured area to support patients with moderate to severe dementia.
“We've known there is an ongoing need for more spaces in the Central Alberta area,” said Cathy McDonald, vice-president of central zone-south for Alberta Health Services. “This was just an opportunity for Alberta Health Services to partner with a provider who had existing space.”
This brings the total of supportive living suites at the facility, operated by Chantelle Management Ltd., to 92. All of the new spaces will be staffed around the clock by licensed practical nurses and health care aides.
“We're trying to support people with dementia in as homelike an environment as possible,” she said. “Dementia poses a lot of challenges for an individual and their caregivers.”
Care planning and registered nurse support are also available.
“Alberta Health Services provides registered nurse assessment and support through home care,” she said. “Every client is assessed individually and the care that is provided is tailored to meet the needs of that particular client.”
Maintaining independent living as long as possible is key to successful care, she said.
“We've heard that people want to stay in their home,” she said.
Innisfail-Sylvan Lake MLA Kerry Towle applauded the opening but questioned the government's health-care strategy.
“Any time we can open additional beds for assistive living that's a good thing,” she said. “However the real issue is long-term care nursing beds.”
Placing dementia patients in beds that are not covered under the “stringent” Nursing Homes Act is cause for concern, said the Wildrose seniors critic.
“The government is moving to a model where they are no longer taking responsibility for the patients,” she said, referencing the controversial decision to close the Little Bow Continuing Care Centre in Carmangay, affecting 16 dementia patients and prompting a wag of the finger from Alberta Health Minister Fred Horne last month.
The Alberta government is trying to do a “better job” overall of caring for residents as they age, said Frank Oberle, Alberta's minister of services for persons with disabilities.
“We have seniors occupying acute health-care beds in hospitals,” he said. “That's an inappropriate environment for seniors and it's an inappropriate use of expense of health-care resources.”
Secure facilities are necessary to ensure quality of care to dementia patients and to send the message to families that their loved ones are being treated with dignity and respect, he said.
“We want to provide facilities where people can age in place and we bring the services to them,” he said. “This is part of it.”
The government plans to add 5,300 net new continuing care spaces throughout the province between 2010 and 2015, according to a news release.
Chantelle Management also operates the Innisfail Country Manor, as well as supportive living facilities in Lethbridge, Grande Prairie and Edmonton.
