Health Minister Tyler Shandro ('Your Alberta' Youtube live stream)

By Troy Gillard

Health Minister announces...

Alberta investing $170M to help seniors, long-term care facilities with COVID-19

May 19, 2020 | 4:02 PM

The provincial government is investing more than $170 million aimed at keeping residents and staff in long-term care, designated supportive living facilities and seniors lodges safe from COVID-19.

Health Minister Tyler Shandro announced the investment during Tuesday’s provincial COVID-19 update.

The province says the funding will be used for enhanced staffing and extra cleaning supplies and will address lost accommodation revenue.

“We know from our experience over the past few months that seniors are most at risk from COVID-19. If our province is to carefully and gradually lift public health restrictions, we must first make sure our most vulnerable will remain safe. This funding is another step in that direction and complements ongoing efforts,” says Shandro.

A total of $14.2 million will be allocated per month with funding retroactive to March 15. The province says there will be a requirement to report on the use of these funds, and facilities will need to return money not spent on COVID-related purposes.

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Funding will continue until the orders from Alberta’s chief medical officer of health are lifted. It will be distributed in coordination with Alberta Health Services and Seniors and Housing.

“We know from our many conversations with continuing care operators that they are struggling to meet the challenges of this unprecedented pandemic. Operators are facing rising costs to maintain operations, comply with provincial health orders and keep Albertans safe. In places where outbreaks have occurred, added precautions to respond to COVID-19 have increased operators’ incremental costs and they have no way to raise revenues to cover them,” says Jennifer McCue, board chair, Alberta Continuing Care Association.

Seniors lodges, designated supportive living, and long-term care serve about 37,000 people at any point in time.

Designated supportive living and long-term care facilities have already received advanced funding of $24.5 million, as well as funding to increase health-care aide staffing levels and wages.

(With file from Government of Alberta media release)