The Liberal Opposition is expressing its support for the Association francophone des Aînés du Nouveau-Brunswick’s (AFANB) report entitled New Brunswick Elders – Neglected and Forgotten.

“The report presented yesterday, on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, not only highlights the dire need for action but also contains a series are recommendations that must be considered by government” says Roger Melanson, Leader of the Official Opposition. “Elder abuse is a serious problem that is unfortunately not being adequately addressed in New Brunswick. The stories in this report are truly heartbreaking.”

In the report, the AFANB presents a series of recommendations that would bring both long-term and short-term improvements to how long-term care is delivered in the province.

“One of the short-term changes that should be implemented quickly is the improvement of the standards in long-term care facilities, paired with more frequent inspections to ensure these new standards are being met” says Roger Melanson. “I support the idea that the department should prioritize home care services by dedicating a larger percentage of the long-term care spending to home care. The recommendation to transition towards a model of non-profit organizations to remove the aspect of profitability from senior care is very interesting and warrants further discussion and analysis. These are long-term goals that can be reached gradually, but Government has to begin shifting their focus as soon as possible.”

The Leader of the Official Opposition condemns the Higgs government for not using the large consecutive surpluses to improve the state of long-term care in New Brunswick, especially during a pandemic when seniors and long-term care residents were at a higher risk than the general population.

“Over the last two years, the Higgs Government has sent roughly a billion dollars to the bank instead of investing into the people of New Brunswick. Everyone deserves to live in dignity, especially seniors who have all contributed to this province throughout their lives. We need to do better, and we have the financial capacity to do better. So what is Premier Higgs waiting for?”