AUPE says UCP’s assisted living model a ‘mockery’ of a ‘crisis’

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on February 4, 2025.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees has criticized the province following the announcement of Assisted Living Alberta, referring to it as “a mockery of Alberta’s continuing care crisis.”

AUPE vice-president Sandra Azocar says AUPE members are still waiting for the government to balance the health-care needs of seniors and address the crisis that health-care providers are facing.

“It’s an absolute mockery of the crisis frontline workers and residents are dealing with on a daily basis,” said Azocar. “Staffing is at crisis levels. Workloads are not sustainable. Cuts in funding are driving down the quality care Alberta’s seniors expect and deserve. These problems are only getting worse as the population grows and Albertans age.”

She continued on to cite the transitional committee, which was “comprised mostly of for-profit care operators.”

“We’re out here struggling to provide Albertans with the most basic of supports, yet there have been no meaningful steps taken to improve immediate concerns since the government announced they are breaking up our public health-care system almost exactly a year ago,” said Azocar.

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