Nursing home bed waits will improve, says Health PEI

Fewer people are stuck in P.E.I.'s main hospital waiting for a nursing home bed than there were a year ago.

Health PEI says 13 beds at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital are being used by what's called medically-discharged patients, that is, patients who don't need hospital care, but for whom there is no nursing care bed available. That compares to about 20 for the same time last year.

On average, most will wait about three months before they get a spot at a nursing home. The situation is not nearly as good outside of Queens County, where the wait is about six months.

Director of long-term care Cecil Villard told CBC News the situation has improved.

"We will do everything that we possibly can to get your family member out and into the home of their choice," said Villard.

"I think the future is much, much brighter in terms of the whole placement process and the number of people that will be going into long-term care."

Health PEI said a restorative care pilot program has helped some patients return to their own homes. There will also be 45 new beds opening in Queens County in the coming months, which should cut wait times further.

There are 140 people on the provincial wait list in need of a nursing home bed.