The leader of Nova Scotia’s NDP is once again sounding the alarm about long-term care.
Numbers obtained by the party through a freedom of information request show 549 patients in the Western Zone died before they could be placed in a nursing home.
Gary Burrill says patients are taking beds in hospitals when they should be in long term care facilities.
“The government hasn’t opened a single nursing home bed since they came to power five years ago. In fact, they’ve cut funding to the nursing homes we have.”
He calls government’s refusal to create more spaces penny-wise and pound foolish.
“It’s enormously expensive for us to be doing it this way, and it’s enormously unsatisfactory.”
Premier Stephen McNeil answered the NDP Leader’s concerns in the House.
“Over the last number of years, we’re seeing that list, wait list continue to drop. We’ll continue to work to ensure that everyone is placed in a nursing home bed as quickly as possible.”
McNeil says his government is addressing the needs of Nova Scotians.
“We’re going to respond to what most Nova Scotians tell us, and that is the fact they want to stay at home as long as possible. And we’re going to continue to invest in home care.”
Burrill acknowledges most people want to remain in their homes as long as they can.
But says once reaching the point where they need care, government has left them nowhere to go.
