Despite last week's demise of her private member's bill that would have created an independent seniors advocate, Innisfail-Sylvan Lake Wildrose MLA Kerry Towle says she will continue to press the Redford government for the creation of the position.
Towle's Bill 208: the Seniors Advocate Act was killed when the government decided not to act on it within a year of it being introduced on Dec. 5, 2012.
"We are certainly going to keep fighting this government to make the advocate independent,î Towle said Dec. 3. "Just because the bill has come off the floor, we are not going to give up on pressing the government to do the right thing.
"Making the advocate independent would give seniors the protection they need. We will continue to press this government on the actual reporting of deaths in care, on abuse in care, of emotional abuse, of sexual abuse, of failure to provide the necessities of life. These are things the government is not reporting on.î
The independent seniors advocate proposed by Towle would have answered to the Office of the Legislature, not to government ministers.
The Redford government has announced the creation of a seniors advocate under the new Alberta Health Act. That advocate would answer to government ministries.
The minister of health said the new position will protect seniors' interests.
"It is clear by the number of inquiries we receive each day that an advocate role would provide increased assistance to Albertans and their families in understanding how the health-care system works and how to navigate it,î said Fred Horne.
Towle counters that government has "created what essentially amounts to a ministerial employee who will be on the beck and call for the minister of health, and will not be looking out for the interests of Alberta's seniors, nor investigating systemic issues that arise, nor holding the government accountable for the services it provides.î
On the day the government decided not to allow Bill 208 to go forward, Towle and Wildrose leader Danielle Smith held a press conference where they said the recent case of senior Violet MacDonald highlights the need for an independent seniors advocate.
MacDonald required hospitalization for severe infection after being left unattended at a nursing home, according to the woman's family.
A later investigation under the Protection of Persons in Care Act determined that an allegation of abuse based on neglect of care was founded, said Towle.
"The only way to solve these issues is to allow an independent advocate to go in and look at the system and see where it is breaking down and give the people coming forward complete anonymity and protection,î said Towle.
"Families don't want to come forward to the ministry of health because they fear retribution and punitive measures against their loved ones in care.
"We need an advocate that can fully audit the system and who can hear patient complaints and independently report where improvements need to be made. We would not expect children to receive this type of treatment under provincial care, so why would we allow the same thing to happen to Alberta seniors?î
Health-care professionals, including physicians and registered nurses, are currently "terrified to come forwardî with complaints about seniors' care, said Towle.
"They are scared to say anything that would identify them or their facilities for fear that they will be fired. An independent advocate would take that away,î she said.
Smith said only an independent seniors advocate can ensure accountability.
"We need to make sure we are tracking the instances of where they (seniors) are dying prematurely because of neglect and abuse, and I think you would only get that with an independent seniors advocate because it would create the discipline in the recording mechanism,î said Smith.
"It would also create an obligation on the part of the government to make sure that this information is forthcoming. That's why we need an independent voice that is watch-dogging government.î
Cassie Liska, the daughter of Violet MacDonald, said she believes an independent seniors advocate may have been able to help her mother receive better care. MacDonald died in Oct. 2013.
In a Gazette interview in November, Premier Alison Redford said the Wildrose call for an independent seniors advocate is more about politics than seniors' care.
"Every time the Opposition stands up and says it has to be independent they are undermining the work of our incredible public servants,î said Redford.
Towle said she plans to press the government to create an independent seniors advocate during the next session of the legislature.
"If they truly want to protect seniors they could absolutely do that and I would give them all the credit in the world,î said Towle.
Last week Towle also called on the Redford government to release a report on the number of sexual abuse cases involving seniors under the Protection of Persons in Care Act.
"We need to do everything we can to ensure seniors in the province's care are being protected and that means not letting allegations of abuse fall through the cracks,î she to the legislature.
"These cases of abuse are incredibly serious, and Albertans and the ministry should be aware if any trends, negative or positive, are occurring in the system.î
