A Calgary family is donating $3 million to help provide better emergency care for seniors in the city. The gift, from the Westman family, will help create the Seniors Emergency Pod at the South Health Campus. Once built, it will feature 15 dedicated care spaces for older adult patients. It will be staffed by a team with expertise in geriatric care that can address complex needs. Visits to emergency rooms by seniors has risen by 47 per cent since 2014. The pod is designed to be senior-friendly to help reduce distress and the length o hospital stays. “The Westman family’s vision and leadership in championing Calgary healthcare is commendable. Their generous gift will offer geriatric patients an emergency space designed for them, one that will improve their care experience and health prognosis and reduce adverse outcomes. In doing so, the Westman’s investment into tailored seniors’ care will ultimately help to return patients to their homes and their lives faster.” said Calgary Health Foundation president and CEO Paul Rossmann, in a media release. The family has supported the Calgary Health Foundation for more than three decades. When they heard about the seniors’ emergency pod, they knew they wanted to be involved. “As soon as we learned about the project, we knew there was an immediate need for one in Calgary,” said Joseph. “Any time you go to a hospital, the majority of people you see there are older adults. “Seniors deserve a certain quality of care and an understanding of their medical needs that is very different from the general population,” she added. :The need is overwhelming, so our decision to support the project was very easy.” No date has been released for when the project will be completed.
