Hospitals grappling with overpopulation are accelerating the placement of patients in nursing homes.
New Brunswick is currently facing a critical shortage of long-term care (LTC) beds, leading to severe overcrowding in regional hospitals. According to the latest report, a total of 1,093 people are on the LTC waitlist, including 483 patients who are waiting in hospitals but no longer require acute care. This situation has resulted in approximately 40% of acute-care beds being occupied by patients needing LTC instead of hospital care.
To alleviate the strain on hospital capacity, the New Brunswick government has temporarily prioritized hospital patients for LTC placement in four regional hospitals - Fredericton, Hartland, Saint John, and Miramichi - for a 30-day period. This move aims to expedite transfers to nursing homes and free up hospital beds.
However, the problem extends beyond bed availability to staffing shortages, which complicate adding more LTC beds without sufficient staff to care for residents. Provincial advocacy groups and officials have called for a systemic overhaul of senior care, warning that without urgent and drastic action, the strain on hospitals and the LTC system will worsen, putting patient safety and the overall acute care system at risk.
The premier, Susan Holt, has attributed the serious overcrowding at four regional hospitals to a lack of LTC space. If enough LTC beds were available, it is estimated that 360 patients could be immediately discharged from hospitals. The Horizon Health Network CEO, Margaret Melanson, has requested the urgent transfer of patients in four hospitals to nursing homes.
Since the current government was elected in October, they have been working to bolster the LTC sector and expand home care options to relieve pressure on the health system. In 2018, a project was launched to open 640 new nursing home beds in New Brunswick, with 460 already created, and space for another 180 currently under construction.
It's unclear how many hospital beds would be liberated over the next month due to the government's move to prioritize some patients, according to Melanson. The number of licensed nursing homes in New Brunswick is 78, with a total of 5,373 beds. There are 431 adult residential facilities offering care to about 7,600 residents in the province.
This report was first published on July 17, 2025, by The Canadian Press. The premier, Holt, acknowledged the urgency of the situation, stating, "We are well behind the 8-ball and trying to play catch up." The government's efforts to address the LTC bed shortage and staffing issues are crucial to improving patient care quality across New Brunswick and reducing hospital overcrowding.
Science and health news have been ongoing regarding the critical LTC bed shortage in New Brunswick, leading to health-and-wellness concerns for both hospital patients and senior care residents. With the government's initiative to prioritize LTC placements in four regional hospitals, there is hope for improving patient care quality by freeing up acute-care beds, as estimated that 360 patients could be discharged from hospitals if enough LTC beds were available.
