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Judy Foote, MHA for the District of Grand Bank, is calling on the provincial
government to provide funding to open more long-term care beds on the Burin
Peninsula. The U.S. Memorial Health Centre in St. Lawrence has ten
long-term care beds that government refuses to open. These beds are closed
even though there is a wait-list for these services and long-term care
patients in the region are being shipped off the Burin Peninsula to
facilities in other communities. In addition, the Burin Peninsula Health
Care Centre is currently housing nine seniors in acute care beds while
waiting for appropriate long-term care space to become available.
"As the health care critic, Yvonne Jones has said repeatedly that it is
obvious significant shortfalls exist in our long-term care system in this
province," said Ms. Foote. "We have heard this government continuously state
that they are making investments into long-term care strategies, but the
people requiring these services are not seeing those improvements. This
government has more money available to them than any other government in
this province since Confederation. The long-term care needs of our seniors
would certainly be a worthwhile investment.
"The Mayor of St. Lawrence and several individuals have made
representation to our office because of the seriousness of this situation.
They are concerned that ten long-term care beds are closed at the U.S.
Memorial Health Centre in their community. These beds have patients ready to
occupy them, but government refuses to make the necessary investment to have
these beds opened. Instead, patients requiring long-term care services are
being forced from their family and friends and relocated to other areas of
the province that can accommodate their needs.
"I am also concerned that nine acute care beds at the Burin Peninsula
Health Care Centre are being occupied by seniors requiring long-term care
services. The long-term care demands that are being placed on our hospitals
must be addressed by government and the proper investment must be made.
"There is certainly an evident demand for these services in the province,
especially on the Burin Peninsula. A needs assessment report regarding this
issue will be released tomorrow and I am hopeful government will finally
realize that more long-term care beds are not a luxury, but a necessity for
the many seniors in our province requiring this type of care."
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