AUPE Grandparents Day BBQ to focus on risks of privatized seniors' care

Posted August 18, 2010 in Union Updates, Women's Committee and tagged with grandparents day, womens

EDMONTON – The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees’ annual Grandparents Day Picnic Sept. 9 at the Legislature will focus on the dangers of the government’s drive to promote for-profit seniors’ care.

“We are very concerned because we see the government of Alberta pushing an agenda of replacing quality publicly run continuing care facilities with privately run, for-profit seniors’ care,” said AUPE Vice-President Sandra Azocar, who is chair of the union’s Women’s Committee.

“This concerns us because privately run ‘assisted living’ facilities are more expensive for residents and their families than publicly run facilities, and we believe seniors’ services are better provided in the public sector,” she said.

“Staff in both public and private sector facilities work hard to provide the best service to the vulnerable Albertans in their care, but their job is made more difficult in the private sector by the pressure to generate profits by cutting corners,” she explained.

Azocar pointed to the planned closing by Alberta Health Services of two public continuing care facilities in Red Deer, the Red Deer Nursing Home and Valley Park Manor, and their replacement by a privately owned, for-profit facility as evidence of the direction the government wants to move.

More than 1,000 AUPE members, seniors, politicians and members of the public are expected at the picnic, which will take place on the South Lawn of the Legislature starting at 11:30 a.m. AUPE President Guy Smith will address the event. Media are encouraged to attend.

Politicians from all parties, members of other unions and supporters of groups like the Friends of Medicare have all been invited to attend.

The annual picnic is free to all. There will be musical entertainment, and beef, chicken and veggie burgers, hot dogs and soft drinks.

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For more information:

Sandra Azocar, Vice-President, AUPE – 780-906-6884
David Climenhaga, Communications Director, AUPE – 780-930-3311 or 780-717-2943 (cellular phone)