The Alberta Minister of Health and Minister of Seniors made a quick stop in Jasper, July 28, to visit the Alpine Summit Seniors Lodge as part of her tour of the province’s healthcare facilities.
The visit was Sarah Hoffman’s first since being appointed by Premier Rachel Notley on May 24.
Over the lunch-hour, Hoffman met with a number of residents and learned that there is currently a waiting list of 16 people hoping to make the lodge their home.
“Of course we don’t like to hear about that,” she said in an interview later that day. “When somebody puts themselves on a list, we want to do our best to make sure that spaces are available.
“That’s why during the election we committed to building 2,000 long-term care beds across Alberta.”
Currently the government is completing an infrastructure plan to determine where those beds will be built over the next four years. That plan will be released along with the budget in the fall, she said.
“It’s definitely not a small task, but it’s so important that we make sure we have spaces available throughout Alberta for seniors and others who need them.”
Alpine Summit Seniors Lodge was built seven years ago and includes 16 lodge units, five deluxe suites and 16 designated assisted living units.
Hoffman said most of the residents she spoke to have been living there since it opened in 2008.
She acknowledged Jasper’s unique housing challenges, which make it difficult for seniors to find appropriate housing, whether they’re hoping to enter a lodge or downsize into a one-storey home.
“Often what most people want is that they can still have the piece of mind that they can walk down to their favourite store or get their hair done by their local hairdresser,” she said. “It’s really important that when you need an appropriate level of support that you have that available to you as close to home as possible.”
Hoffman said she was impressed with the seniors lodge in Jasper, noting that the residents seemed grateful to be there.
“The fact that it’s connected to the higher level of care, supportive living beds, as well as the hospital makes it a really great facility for supporting that concept of aging in community,” she said.
As well as visiting Jasper, Hoffman stopped in Hinton last week to tour the Hinton General Hospital.
She said, as a new minister, it’s important that she see the province’s facilities so she knows where the needs are, as well as what’s working in each community.
“For example, in Hinton there are some renovations that are coming down the pipe, so it’s nice to see the before.
“For example, it’s great that they’re able to do some cancer treatments with chemotherapy in the local community, so people don’t have to travel further than necessary, but definitely the space is quite cramped and the washroom doesn’t necessarily meet the standards for today in terms of accessibility.
“I think it was important to see that and know why it is that some of these projects need to go forward.”
Nicole Veerman
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