Montreal to lose long-term nursing care beds

The city of Montreal is about to lose around 500 beds from its public-sector nursing homes.

According to the Gazette, Montreal and Quebec city have an excess amount of nursing home beds compared to the rest of the province.

Quebec Health Minister Réjean Hébert said that Montreal currently has 4.2 long-term beds per 100 elderly people. Roughly 2.2 beds more than elsewhere in Quebec.

The majority of the bed cuts will be in nursing homes with four or more people per room, whittling them down to double or single occupancy rooms.

The Montreal Health and Social Services Agency assistant director of services for the elderly Lydia Ingenito calls it a transformation rather than a closure.

She says patients will be discharged from the hospital to their own homes, with good home care support, until a bed becomes available in facility of their choice.

The National assembly did table a bill last week that would cover senior services needed for support at home.

But critics say it has yet to be adopted, meaning anyone sent home will have to pay out of pocket or fend for themselves until the financial resources become available.