Calls for P.E.I. government to increase funding, so more long-term care beds can open

Long-term care homes are calling on the government for more financial support to open more beds.

There are about 80 beds that are supposed to be available right now, that either can't be opened because of a lack of staff, or haven't been built.

Rev. W.J. Phillips Residence, a non-profit community care home in Alberton, P.E.I., is approved for 14 long term care beds that aren't open because of the cost to construct them.

Norma Gallant is a resident of Phillips. She said she's happy there, but she may need long term care soon if her condition changes.

She said the delay in the construction has her worried.

"I heard all those things. It makes you nervous," she said.

Gallant said she hopes the beds aren't delayed for much longer because she wants to stay at Phillip's Residence, but that would require the beds to be opened. 

"I'd feel just lovely. I really like it because I think it's like home to me," she said.

"You could stay right here, rather than move some place else. I'd prefer 100 per cent to stay right here."

The facility was approved in late 2021 for the construction of 14 long term care new beds. 

But the rise in construction costs has caused a delay to even begin the renovations, said Colleen Parker, executive director of the Phillips Residence.

"As everyone knows, after COVID, construction costs went up 60-80 per cent. What in 2020 looked like a $3 million build, turned into a 5.2 million build," she said.

"That as a not-for-profit wasn't a good business case."

Because the contractors can only build what was asked for in the proposal, she said there's no wiggle room to build fewer than requested.

"There's real reluctance from banks to fund long-term care and CMHC will not guarantee loans. That is the challenge, and as a not-for-profit, we don't have the financial stores that can sustain that kind of a debt load," she said.

But Parker said it's more than just the financial burdens that caused a delay.

"It's not just the financial concern, but also the staffing concern about making a long term care expansion successful," she said.

Health P.E.I. granted the community care facility an extension on their proposal for the expansion until October, 2024, so construction won't begin until at least then, potentially longer. 

Parker said she hopes things will change by then.

"We're waiting to see if we can fund it, and what changes we will see," she said.

Support efforts need to 'make sense'

Andrew MacDougall, executive director of community health and senior care for Health P.E.I., said there's not one specific issue to blame for the delay.

"The hope was to have them operational sooner and it's been a slew of different elements," he said.

"There's been infrastructure elements and just like everywhere else, the staffing and making sure you have a sustainable, reliable base to open a home with, so that's been a part of it as well."

Health Minister Mark McLane said assistance for long-term care facilities should be reviewed. 

"I think we can't expect our private long-term care homes to make investments that don't make sense to their business model," he said.

"If we determined that we need to add more beds to the system, I think we have to look at how we support them so they can expand their facilities."