Wildrose is saying the province needs to take better care of its seniors living in private long-term care facilities.

Party leader Brian Jean made the trip to Red Deer’s Maple Cottage on Friday, a facility that operates in a residential house, to speak to seniors on concerns about the lack of funding.

Seniors living in private long-term care facilities are being denied access to Alberta’s Self-Managed Care Program, a program that provides financial aid to home-care clients.

Jean believes the government needs to increase funding into more private long-term care facilities.  

“Figures as startling as $11 to $15,000 a day in a health care system, in a bed in a hospital versus $3,000 a month to be in a facility like this that is obviously much more appealing and a better quality of life for the seniors themselves.”

Jean said the government needs to change their approach when dealing with the province’s seniors living situation.

“Work with the experts who are already on the ground, work with seniors right across the province and find the best outcome for the seniors.”

“With the carbon tax and the increased cost that they have, we have to look at more innovative approaches on making the government take better care of its seniors who built this province.”

Jean said he believes it would work much better if the public and private sector formed a partnership, opposed to being separate.

Jean also spoke about the province’s need to take a serious look into expanding the Red Deer Regional Hospital Centre and said the public needs to keep speaking loudly on the issue.