REGINA – When Lynn Emerson had concerns in early 2015 about her 101-year-old mother’s care at a facility in Wolseley, she says her worries fell on deaf ears.
Emerson decided to compile a list of complaints from other families whose loved ones were in the care home, but when she shared the allegations, Emerson felt she was being threatened by health region staff.
“I thought, ‘You intimidate me? How dare you? I’m trying to make things better for my mother, the staff and the residents,” Emerson said.
“Elders are precious. To see them treated this way breaks my heart.”
Gena Ferguson Peters worked at an Indian Head nursing home for five years, saying staff are overworked due to a constant shortage.
“I’d like to see a level of transparency.”
She’s critical of the province’s Health Information Protection Act (HIPA), which aims to keep personal medical details private – but is too restrictive, Ferguson Peters believes.
When her name was part of a letter to the government asking for an investigation of how residents are treated, Ferguson Peters says, under HIPA legislation, was told the letter had potential to break the law – risking her job, a $50,000 fine and/or a year in jail.
“I’d like to see a level of transparency,” Ferguson Peters said. “I’d like to see whistleblowers protected, because they’re not.”
‘We want to hear from them’
Health Minister Dustin Duncan says he wants to insure family members, nursing home residents and staff are heard from.
“I take very seriously the concerns and allegations that have been raised,” Duncan said.
“We’re going to have a very important conversation with our leaders to see specifically what has been said to these individuals.”
NDP leader Cam Broten says the seniors care issues raised at the legislature over the past three years show the need for legislated minimum standards in nursing homes and a seniors care advocate.
READ MORE: Does Saskatchewan need a seniors’ advocate?
“Someone who can be approached, can be proactive about finding solutions,” Broten said. “Not simply the ombudsman who can address something when things have gone wrong.”
Short staffing ID’d in CEO tour reports
Reports compiled by top health region executives after cross-province tours highlight concerns about staffing levels and a lack of baths in long term care facilities.
In the reports released by the government Wednesday, many residents say they want more than one bath per week. There are also not enough staff on-shift during evening and overnight hours, the reports say.
“Not all the problems have been rectified,” Duncan said of the reports.
In the 2013 provincial budget, the Sask. Party government invested $13 million to address urgent issues in care homes.
Duncan says more than 700 pieces of equipment, such as lifts, bathtubs and mattresses, have been installed in homes across the province over the last couple of years.
“It’s been a big undertaking by the system. It shows the needs that were out there and continue to be out there.”
With files from The Canadian Press
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