Finding alternate care for seniors could be first step to alleviate strain on N.B. hospitals: advocate

In March of 2020, at the beginning of the pandemic, the New Brunswick government worked with the health authorities, and long-term care facilities to move alternative-level-of-care (ALC) patients out of hospitals and into nursing and special care homes.

It was to make room, should there be an influx of COVID-19 patients.

According to Horizon Health, between March and May 6, 2020, 128 seniors were moved out of hospitals and into nursing homes. The network has “since returned to regular practices for movement of these patients,” according to its annual report.

In 2021/22, 25 per cent of Horizon’s hospital beds were occupied by ALC patients — those who need long-term care, not a hospital bed.

That averages to about 415 patients.

“I think, you know, the longer they languish in a hospital, the worst they're going to get,” said Coalition for Seniors executive director, Cecile Cassista.

She wonders if the effort that was made in March of 2020 could be done now to help with the strain on the hospital system.

“This is step number one. Our healthcare system is failing us badly. We don't have the number of doctors and nurses in our communities to serve our population,” she said. “So seniors, what they do, they hold back and basically wait until it's too late to go to the hospital.”

The N.B. Medical Society says it’s concerned about the “growing number of seniors who are waiting to be cared for out of hospital,” and says there are a number of ways that could help.

"We would encourage government to streamline the patient assessment process, better utilize special care homes that have open beds, make beds outside of hospital more readily available and streamline the approval process to move a senior out of hospital,” said president Dr. Mark MacMillan.

Seniors and long-term care critic for the N.B. Liberals, Robert Gauvin, is also concerned about staffing levels within long-term care.

He says recruitment, within the entire system, needs to be the focus.

“It is a little scary. I hope that we can find a way to find people and we need to do whatever's necessary for that generation who gave so much for us,” he said.