Residents in the Smoky River region hoping for the addition of an Alzheimer’s wing at Sacred Heart Community Healthcare Centre can essentially forget about it. At least for the time being. That’s the message delivered to the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) of McLennan after a decision was rendered in a Nov. 6th letter from Charlotte Rob, interim chief executive officer for Alberta Health Services. “I regret that, at this time, we are not in a position to provide an Alzheimer’s unit at Sacred Heart Community Health Centre as demand for this type of specialized unit is not sufficient,” Rob explains. The interim CEO backed up those comments by saying that the construction of a dementia unit at the new High Prairie Health Complex in addition to similar units in Peace River and Fairview will provide sufficient beds to support specialized dementia care in the area. She adds that Manoir du Lac seniors’ assisted living facility in McLennan also has a section of the facility which is capable of providing a “secure location for the care of individuals with dementia.” Another factor impeding the request is a shortage of healthcare workers and difficulties recruiting Registered Nurses/Licensed Practical Nurses to the Smoky River region. Brassard, who recently reviewed the letter from Robb, says the disappointing response from Alberta Health Services hasn’t diminished the CWL’s efforts to continue lobbying the government for an Alzheimer’s wing in McLennan. In fact, it’s the exact opposite for the CWL which is now asking residents in the High Prairie and Smoky River regions to contact their respective MLA (Hector Goudreau in Dunvegan-Central Peace and Pearl Calahasen in Lesser Slave Lake) and voice their support for a proposed Alzheimer’s wing at Sacred Heart Healthcare Centre. “We believe this is the next logical step to help strengthen our push for an Alzheimer’s wing at the former long-term care centre in McLennan,” says Brassard. The response from Alberta Health Services comes just over six months after the CWL launched a region-wide petition aimed at convincing the Government of Alberta and Peace Country Health about the need for an Alzheimer’s unit in McLennan That petition garnered the support of 940 residents in the form of signatures, many of whom submitted personal letters acknowledging the growing need for an Alzheimer’s patient care facility to serve the region. The petitions were forwarded to the various governing bodies having ties to the hospital. That includes Goudreau, Alberta Seniors Minister Mary Anne Jablonski and Minister of Health & Wellness Ronald Liepert, the Alberta Heath Services Board, Sacred Heart’s director of health services, Peace River MP Chris Warkentin and Peace Country Health. The long-term care wing of the hospital has been vacant and unused dating back to June of 2007 when Integrated Life Care Inc. officially opened its doors to their new McLennan seniors’ assisted living facility, Manoir du Lac. Residents wishing to contact their MLA can do so by calling Goudreau at 780-837-3846 or Calahasen at 780-523-3171.