Watch above: The daughter of a resident at a Regina care home has gone public with concerns regarding what her 83-year-old father was fed for Christmas supper. Steve Silva reports.
REGINA – The daughter of a resident at a local care home has gone public with concerns regarding what her 83-year-old father was fed for Christmas supper.
“I wouldn’t serve that in my home. I wouldn’t serve that to my children,” said Darlene Mitchell, whose father lives at Pioneer Village in Regina.
The alleged “unacceptable” meal in question encompassed two cold slices of meat (salami and bologna), macaroni salad, bread, and apple sauce for dessert.
The particular concern was for the absence of vegetables in the meal, which at least three others in the care home were eating nearly identical versions of, and the lack of effort put into the meal, she said.
Mitchell took a photo of the food then posted it and her story on Facebook. As of Saturday evening, the post had amassed about 1,500 shares.
“I think that people are opening their heart and seeing their own father, or their own mother, or themselves sitting one day eating bologna with no voice,” she said.
Mitchell’s father has lived at the $1,800-a-month home for one year.
At a 2 p.m. media availability at the Wascana Rehab Centre Saturday, Regina Qu’Appelle Health Region officials couldn’t confirm exactly what the residents ate for supper.
“That probably was the meal that they were served, or that’s a representation of it,” said Michael Redenbach, vice president of integrated health services, as he looked at a journalist’s phone displaying the photo Mitchell took.
He stressed that it’s important to consider what the residents ate about five hours prior on Christmas: at noon, they had a “rather substantial” turkey dinner.
“I don’t know what our menu plan is so all I can speak to is, in general, we have a lighter meal at supper than we have at lunch time,” said Redenbach, who at the time was not able to confirm if the supper that evening included any vegetables.
The province offered up Redenbach as the only spokesperson for the day.
RQHR has come under fire for two other incidents in the past two months.
“I don’t consider this particular concern to be of the magnitude of the previous ones we’ve been talking about,” said Redenbach.
The photo was first brought to the attention of Global News via the Saskatchewan NDP.
“It doesn’t provide the dignity that anyone deserves,” said NDP Deputy Leader Trent Wotherspoon, regarding the supper.
This incident shows why minimum care standards need to be implemented, Wotherspoon told journalists at the Saskatchewan Legislative Building on Saturday morning.
“If the premier wants to defend that, then maybe he should be deciding to eat that same plate if he thinks that’s acceptable for the seniors of this province,” said Wotherspoon.
READ MORE: Does Saskatchewan need a seniors advocate?
Mitchell plans to take up matter with RQHR on Monday.
“We can do better. I know we can do better,” she said.
According to RQHR’s website, the home has nearly 400 beds and is the province’s largest special care home.
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