More concerns surrounding Alberta non-profit housing patients in motel rooms

Alberta’s premier spoke out on Friday after it was discovered that an elderly Alberta stroke patient was sent to a motel in Leduc after being discharged from hospital by a non-profit housing provider.

“What we’ve discovered over the last few days is that they used to have rental housing, but because of a variety of factors, it sounds like they had a pest management problem, they moved their clients to hotel rooms,” said Premier Danielle Smith.

The Premier said Friday, that the issue lies with the housing provider and not the province or health authority.

Government officials claim they only learned of a 63-year-old stroke patient discharged from the Royal Alexandra in Edmonton, to this motel in Leduc south of Edmonton after media reports.

The patient says he was fed fast food, the room couldn’t accommodate his wheelchair, and his hygiene was not taken care of.

The provider in question — Contentment Social Services — a non-profit based in Edmonton. As of 3 p.m. Friday CityNews has not been able to get in touch with anyone at Contentment Social Services.

Smith says since this came to light, the province is now supporting 39 other clients of the charity, and have had to pay a travel lodge motel bill.

“We have people on site, I believe some of the members of Minister Nixon’s staff have been there since 6:30 in the morning yesterday until late at night, trying to sus out the situation. We’ve paid the 25,000 unpaid bill on a credit card — to make sure that no one was evicted — so we’re now going to be going through the process of finding appropriate support facilities. No one is going to be pushed out,” she explained.

Alberta’s opposition NDP Seniors and Social Services Critic told media Friday the blame lies with the province’s Minister of Health Adriana LaGrange.

“Yes we have a housing issue in this province, and again, it is because there’s not enough of an investment in housing. And of course, this service provider shouldn’t be having to figure it out all their own. They should be working with the Ministry of Health. If they’re a service provider with the Ministry of Health, then they should be trying to figure out how to serve people,” said Lori Sigurdson, NDP Seniors and Social Services Critic.

Contentment Social Services was on a list of housing providers that Alberta Health Services uses when discharging high-needs patients. The premier stressed, they’re not contracted by the government, and have been removed from the list.