Study shows Oyen in need of an assisted-living facility, mayor says

By Gillian Slade on January 15, 2019.

gslade@medicinehatnews.com @MHNGillianSlade

A study that looked into whether there is need of an assisted living facility in Oyen is complete and concluded it is absolutely necessary.

In March 2018 the provincial government announced $1.4 million in funding for seven communities, with Oyen receiving $100,000 for an “aging in community” rural pilot project study.

The study was completed a couple months ago and specified that Oyen needs a 25-bed assisted living facility, town Mayor Doug Jones told the News on Monday.

“The need is there, no question about it,” said Jones.

The study did not reveal how many seniors are waiting for assisted/supportive living placement in Oyen. More specific details from the study were not available other than expressing the need for a 25-bed facility.

“So we’ll wait to see what comes out in the next (provincial government) budget,” said Jones, who believes the next stage is up to the provincial government.

“It doesn’t say how it is funded or anything,” said Jones.

Building an assisted-living facility is not a project that would be initiated by private enterprise, said Jones. There is no government funding for privately-built ones and, Jones pointed out, the monthly cost for residents in a private facility would also be considerably higher than if it was built by the government.

The $100,000 funding was not given directly to the town of Oyen to conduct the study. It is Jones’s understanding that the government conducted the study through an independent group.

In Oyen, there is accommodation for those requiring long-term care. Oyen’s Big Country Hospital includes 30-beds for long-term care.

In August last year it was revealed in a story by the News that a couple who was living in Oyen had been separated when one spouse was moved to a seniors’ facility in Medicine Hat to access appropriate care. It meant a separation of 200 km for the couple and a considerable journey, round trip, to just visit together.

At the time, Health Minister Sarah Hoffman said building spaces in communities where they are needed, to address the need, is the solution.

Descriptions of long-term care versus assisted/supportive living are detailed by Alberta Health Services online as follows.

Long-term care includes medical and social services to support someone with chronic health issues. Supportive/assisted-living provides a home-like setting with additional supports based on the person’s assessed needs either at level three or level four (SL3 or SL4). There is an additional supportive living level 4 for those assessed with dementia (SL4D) where a secure environment is required.

16
-15