Consultations begin in Newfoundland and Labrador next week on a new provincial long-term care and community support services strategy. The strategy has been in development since February 2008, and in the legislature on June 24 Health Minister Jerome Kennedy said the province faces a shortage of about 900 long-term care beds with an aging population. However, he is looking at ways of helping seniors stay independent in the community for as long as possible. A consultation document, Close to Home: A Vision for Long-Term Care and Community Supports Services, can be found at www.health.gov.nl.ca/health/LTC_CSS_FA.pdf