From the Edmonton paper: http://www.cbc.ca/canada/edmonton/st...s.html?ref=rss

Stress and guilt caused by cuts in Alberta nursing homes recently forced a veteran health care aide to retire because she couldn't give residents the care they needed.

"I went home feeling guilty. Feeling that I could not provide proper care for these people that became my friends. I loved them," said Loretta Raiter, who worked at Salem Manor in Leduc for 27 years.

Raiter, who spoke about her experiences at an NDP news conference at the Alberta Legislature Thursday, said the situation has declined over the past decade as staff cuts forced employees to look after more residents each shift.
"The human contact is not there anymore and this is what they need. This is their home."

Alberta NDP leader Brian Mason said a recent 3 per cent cut to funding for long term care faclities is to blame. The number of nurses at facilities are set by the province, but there are no such guidelines for support staff.

"What we've really got is a situation where people are simply being warehoused," Mason said. Residents are fed powdered meal replacements, sit for hours in wet diapers and get only one bath a week.

When Raiter started 27 years ago, she loved her work, callling it a "beautiful" experience because she could spend time with residents, even read to them.

These days, one worker might be responsible for the care of 10 to 16 residents a shift. Seniors in the home wore wet diapers for as long as 5 to 6 hours, she said.

Raiter said the government needs to start putting money back into long-term care homes.
"Give these residents back their dignity."