This article examines the use of acute beds by the elderly in Manitoba over the five-year period, 1972--1976. The analysis reveals that transfers of long-stay (greater than 90 day) elderly to long-term care facilities took longer in 1976 than in 1972 despite major provincial initiatives which included construction of additional long-term treatment beds, expansion of home care resources, and extension of universal insurance coverage to long-term institutional and home care. Analyses of means to reduce long hospital stays prior to transfer suggests that building more long-term beds may be the least desirable policy alternative.