Caring for ALC Patients “The term “alternate level of care” (ALC) refers to the status of hospitalized patients who are no longer acutely ill but cannot be discharged because post hospital plans are not yet in place” (Rock, Beckerman, Auerbach, Cohen, Goldstein, & Quitkin, 1995, p. 2). In Canada, between March 2012 and March 2013 the monthly proportion of acute beds occupied by ALC patients was 15-17% (Cressman, Ploeg, Kirkpatrick, Kaasalainen, & McAiney, 2013). Hospitals in Canada are full of aging patients who should be in long-term care facilities but cannot get in. This situation that can be devastating for families and be overwhelming for our healthcare system. Older patients awaiting long-term placements often spend long periods,
