A new report by a group which stands for quality living for seniors says it has become more difficult to to get into a nursing home, not because the rules have changed but because the interpretation of the rules has changed.

The Quality of Living Alliance of Newfoundland and Labrador says people in government who make the decisions on eligibility for nursing home care now require that there be a physical need.

Spokesperson Susan Sullivan says that makes no sense this day and age when mental health is starting to be treated as a mainstream medical issue. Sullivan says requiring a physical component makes it more difficult for people to access care.

She says anxiety, stress, fear of falling—none of those issues, unto themselves, qualify for eligibility. Sullivan is baffled by the interpretation given all the work which has been done around mental health.

Health Minister John Haggie has said in the past that there have been no changes to eligibility requirements.