Waitlist for N.B. nursing homes tops 1,000 — and more than 500 wait in hospital
Seniors' advocate says number of people waiting for long-term care is 'highest we’ve seen' since 2017
An advocate for seniors is sounding the alarm after the latest numbers show the waitlist for a nursing home in New Brunswick has surpassed 1,000.
Cecile Cassista, executive director of the Coalition for Seniors New Brunswick, has been tracking the numbers since 2017.
She said the latest numbers are a clear indication of a broken long-term-care system.
"This is the highest we've been, so it is shocking."
The document shared by Cassista shows the number of people "awaiting placement" by the Department of Social Development as of June 30 was 1,044, including 513 who are waiting in hospital.
As a longtime advocate for seniors and nursing home residents, Cassista said she knows seniors and their families are "very frustrated" to be waiting in hospital environments until nursing homes have room for them.
"The longer people languish in a hospital, their health condition changes," she said. "It is upsetting."
"I know that people don't want to be in the hospital, they don't want to make that their home, but that's the case because we have a broken system."
Compared to waitlist numbers at the end of May, the number of people in hospital waiting for a nursing home placement has increased by 71.
The Moncton region has the highest number of people waiting, at 285, including 133 in hospital.
A focus on more beds
CBC News contacted the Department of Social Development, but no one was made available for an interview.
According to a news release from Social Development on June 10, celebrating nursing home week, there are 76 nursing homes in New Brunswick, providing 5,223 beds.
The growing waitlist comes as no surprise to Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard, a professor at the University of Moncton nursing school who researches healthy aging.
Suzanne
Dupuis-Blanchard, a professor in the nursing program at the University
of Moncton, says social services beyond health care play a major role in
keeping older adults independent for longer. (Submitted by Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard)
"We have to remember that these are our people," she said. "It just breaks my heart to think that someone who [has been] medically discharged is still in a hospital environment."
Dupuis-Blanchard said seniors who need nursing home care and get stuck waiting at home for weeks or even months often begin to feel invisible to an already overwhelmed system.
Much of Dupuis-Blanchard's research focuses on alternatives to nursing homes for healthy aging. She said New Brunswick needs to look at other ways to help its aging population stay home longer.
"Having activities offered in your local community … that's how we keep older adults as independent as possible," she said. "We want to optimize their heath -- no matter the age."
She added the New Brunswick population has one of the highest proportions of older adults, with 22 per cent being over 65, compared with 18 per cent nationally.
'Tough discussions' need to happen
Dupuis-Blanchard said it's important to have the tough discussions about aging and other heath decisions with family and friends a lot earlier.
"It's discussions that, most of the time, don't happen until there's a crisis," she said. "And then, decisions are made, and people are unhappy about the decisions because they didn't really want to think about that."
Cassista hopes the provincial election this fall will generate a larger discussion about long-term care in New Brunswick.
"I hope that the public don't wait until it hits their pocket, that they speak out earlier," she said.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
For the record I agree with this lady and told her so byway of her voicemail
https://www.umoncton.ca/prof/umcm-dupuis_blanchard_suzanne
Suzanne Dupuis-Blanchard
https://www.nbcoalitionforseniors.org/contact.html
Cecile Cassista Executive Director
506 850 8286
2023 COALITION FOR SENIORS AND NURSING HOME RESIDENTS' RIGHTS ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Coalition
for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents’ Rights, annual meeting held at
the Riverview Lions Club, had an excellent turnout. Senator Nancy
Hartling and Hon. Minister Kathy Bockus were unable to attend due to
work commitments. They sent their regrets.
Guest Speaker Claire
Johnson, Associate Professor University Moncton provided an excellent
talk on Public and Private Health Care. The audience were well engaged.
Elizabeth
Martin, long time supporter of the Coalition addressed the group of
her experience of being scammed of $12,200. “I can’t believe I fell for
it", she said.
The Coalition is calling on the Higgs government to address seniors in the province.
- Home Care system by making it affordable and public.
- Affordable rates and regulate Special Care Homes.
- Inspection of Nursing and Special Care be done more frequently and unannounced.
- Transfer Seniors to a Ministry of it’s own from the Department of Social Development.
- Extra Mural program to be strengthened by additional resources and staff.
- Nursing Homes rate to be based on scale of income.
President Diane Mollins
Past President Debbie Ellison
1st Vice President,
Pat Goobie
2nd Vice President,
Sharon Teare
Treasurer Martha Thompson
Secretary Lorraine Casey
Director Curtis Hachey
Director John McKay
Director John Bailey
Director Kim Copp
Director June McNairn
Emeritus Director Hector Cormier
Emeritus Director Claire Gay
Executive Director Cecile Cassista
Claire Johnson
Moncton South
In November 2023, Claire Johnson was nominated as the New Brunswick Liberal Party candidate in the riding of Moncton South. Claire’s background as a university professor, activist and spokesperson of healthcare and social issues makes her best prepared to deliver solutions and take action in the riding.
Claire graduated with a PHD in Population Health from the University of Ottawa in 2019 and earned both her masters and bachelor’s degrees at the Université de Moncton. In addition to her experience in health (homelessness, mental health and addictions), Claire’s career as a dietitian and food management professional has made her an expert in the area of food insecurity.
A mother of three and a proud Monctonian and New Brunswicker, Claire looks forward to serving the residents of Moncton-South for the next 4 years and beyond.
Contact Claire:
Phone:
(506) 800-3747
Email:
Attention Moncton South
Fredericton, New Brunswick
E3B 3X6
By Phone:
Toll Free: 1-888-662-8683
By email:
mael.houyau@greenpartynb.ca
Rebecca Rogers for Moncton South NDP
Intro
Hon. Greg Turner
- Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour
- Minister responsible for Immigration
- Minister responsible for Opportunities NB
- Minister responsible for Economic Development and Small Business
Greg Turner was elected to the 60th Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in the September 14th, 2020, Provincial Election as the MLA to represent the riding of Moncton South.
Mr. Turner was appointed to cabinet in June 2023. He currently serves as Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, Minister responsible for Opportunities NB, Minister responsible for Economic Development and Small Business, and Minister responsible for Immigration. He previously served as Government Caucus Chair and as Chair of the Standing Committees on Economic Policy and Estimates and Fiscal Policy and Vice-Chair of the Standing Committee on Procedure, Privileges and Legislative Officers and the Select Committee on Accessibility in New Brunswick.
Mr. Turner is a Moncton native and graduate of Harrison Trimble High School and Sir George Williams University.
A former city councillor, dedicated volunteer in the community, and entrepreneur in Moncton for nearly 50 years before retiring in 2016, Mr. Turner has lived in the city’s downtown core with his wife Claudette for more than 20 years.
Constituency Office
| Mainline Phone | (506) 856-3808 |
| General Email | Greg.Turner@gnb.ca |
| Address |
PO Box 1394 Moncton E1C 8T6 |
| Hours of Operation | Monday to Thursday 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. |
| Notes | General Information (506) 856-3808 |
https://www.carp.ca/community-home/
Mississauga, Chapter 35
Murray Etherington, President
416-997-0919
Haliburton Highlands, Chapter 54
Jon Donnewald, President
View Chapter Page
705-754-2540
haliburtonhighlands@carp.ca
Cecile Cassista
Cecile Cassista is executive director of the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents’ Rights and a councillor-at-large for the Town of Riverview. She served as deputy mayor from 2013-2014 and from 2016-2017.
She is well known in the community for her commitment to the feminist movement, to unionism, and to seniors’ rights and well-being. She has served as vice president of the National Action Committee on the Status of Women and has many years of public service experience as a contract negotiator with the Canadian Auto Workers Union. She has served on the Manitoba Labour Board and on community boards with the Childcare Coalition of Manitoba and the United Way of Winnipeg.
She returned to New Brunswick after her retirement and, in 2004, co-founded the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents’ Rights. This organization works to achieve and maintain affordable and accessible programs to enhance the quality of life for seniors and their families.
A champion of Riverview, Ms. Cassista sees her role as representing the interests and concerns of residents in areas such as immigration, affordable housing, and senior care. In 2006, she co-founded the Seniors’ Roundtable for the Town of Riverview, which organizes the Year of the Older Person, a popular celebration that attracts many seniors from the Greater Moncton area.
She is the co-founder and chair of the Riverview a Neighbourhood Watch program and has served as director for the Riverview Lions Club. Ms. Cassista has served as the Vice President of Urban Rural Rides for Southeastern New Brunswick. In 2021, she was elected as director for the Union of Municipalities in Zone 2 (UMNB).
In 2022, she received the Order of New Brunswick.
Committee and Board Appointments
- Seniors' Roundtable
- Pension & Benefits Committee
- Performance Review for CAO
- Ad-Hoc Committee - Review of Community Investment Policy Applications (Chair)