Province’s new $7.5M support for care givers triples its current investment

By ANNA SMITH Local Journalism Initiative on August 8, 2025.

asmith@medicinehatnews.com

The government of Alberta says it is working to better care for the mental wellbeing of those who care for others, with a $7.5-million investment for continuing care workers.

“Continuing care staff show up day after day to support Albertans in some of their most vulnerable moments. With this investment, we’re making sure continuing care workers have support, too – we see you, we value you and we’re here to support you,” Minister of Assisted Living and Social Services Jason Nixon said in a statement.

The investment triples current provincial funding supports for continuing care workers, the government says, and aims to help with the mental toll that caring for Alberta’s elderly and vulnerable populations can have.

A mental health-conscious work environment results in a better workplace and quality of care, with operators seeing increased employee retention and lowered rates of absenteeism, while clients enjoy compassionate, high-quality care, said the province.

“Those who serve Albertans through assisted living and continuing care compassionately meet the needs of Alberta’s seniors, those with disabilities and some of our most vulnerable, each and every day,” said Gord Johnston, CEO of Assisted Living Alberta. “We very much appreciate these additional investments to ensure all staff are supported with access to timely mental wellness resources to enable their continued success.”

The $7.5 million will help the Care for Staff program continue to meet the wellness needs of frontline staff for two more years. Care for Staff is an initiative which aims to support the mental health of frontline staff, based on their feedback.

Supports funded through this initiative have included counselling sessions, workload management training and yoga classes and have supported more than 12,000 workers in 126 different organizations across Alberta.

“In 20 years, 20 per cent of Alberta’s population will be seniors,” the province says. “Alberta’s government is laying the groundwork now to meet the challenges that come with an aging population, ensuring that those caring for our elders, people with disabilities and vulnerable populations are also receiving the care they need.”

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