Michener Centre closure another broken promise

EDMONTON, AB (March 11, 2013): The closing of the Michener centre in Red Deer represents another broken promise from the back-in-debt budget and more problematic mismanagement from the PC government, the Wildrose Official Opposition said today.

There are 125 PDD patients who will be moved out of their homes into the Michener Centre, with 50 medically fragile seniors being reallocated to senior’s homes, while 75 others will be moved to “surplus housing.”

“It makes no sense to shut down an existing facility when we need more assisted living space, not less.” Wildrose Seniors Critic Kerry Towle said.  “Sending 50 vulnerable patients to an already overcrowded seniors system isn’t responsible, it’s mismanagement.”

Wildrose Human Services Critic Jeff Wilson said that there needs to be more details for the families and patients about why they are losing additional space that exists in the Michener Center.

“Right now it seems that there are fewer spaces for vulnerable Albertans in Red Deer and it’s time for this government to provide some real answers,” Wilson said. “This government owes Albertans an explanation why there will be less space for vulnerable Albertans and to the families and PDD patients who will be negatively impacted by this move.”