Grenfell and District Pioneer Home will be closing its northeast wing by early September and moving eight residents due to safety concerns over infrastructure.
Doreen Doucette, who’s mother has been living at the home for eight years says residents are currently unaware of who will be leaving. According to Doucette, they were told by staff that unless there are volunteers, there will be a selection process.
“I find the whole thing shameful,” Doucette says.
The Regina Qu’appelle Health Region (RQHR) said the wing will be closed due to significant infrastructure damage, caused by outdated functional and operational systems.
In a statement, RQHR said ” Grenfell Pioneer Home long-term care facility has been one of our top priorities for replacement,” adding that they have been monitoring it for several years.
“Grenfell is her home, that’s where she has her final house… the stress alone is just taking a toll on her, she just found out yesterday,” Doucette said.
“This is her home, it’s their final home and they’re doing this to them. It doesn’t sit well.”
There are a total of 32 patients and three wings in the Grenfell care home, including the northeast wing. Nine rooms make up the affected area of the northeast wing. RQHR said one patient will be relocated to an empty room in the west wing.
The eight remaining patients will be relocated to Broadview Centennial Lodge, located 27.8 kilometres away and Wolseley Memorial Integrated Health Centre, which is 26.4 km away from the Grenfell Pioneer Home. Wolseley will be reopening four previously closed beds in order to accommodate the move.
RQHR’s statement to also included that Grenfell will receive further repairs.
“We have already implemented operational changes including repairs and safety enhancements that will further mitigate risk elsewhere in the building.”
However, Doucette wishes this had been dealt with earlier.
“I would have suggested that the RQHR open their eyes four years ago when they were told this.”
Doucette’s brother, and former mayor of Grenfell, Lloyd Gwilliam, said the town has been asking the provincial government for either a new long-term care home or to have the current one fixed, but were repeatedly denied.
“The community wants a new home, but the government says they don’t have the money,” Gwilliam said.
Gwilliam said despite the fact that the town raised $1.1 million in 2007, the province still denied their plan to build a new nursing home.
“We can’t build it until the government agrees,” Gwilliam said.
Once built, the government-funded health region would be responsible for further finances and staffing wages.
Gwilliam said he spoke to his mother today and she expects to hear this afternoon that she will not be one of the eight residents moving to a new facility, but her children are still upset about the way this was handled.
” It affects the whole town,” added Doucette.
Although an entire wing will be closed for an undisclosed amount of time, RQHR said they do not contemplate staff layoffs at this time.
However, they have encouraged union partners to explore “staff movement where necessary to support the displaced residents.”
With files from Whitney Stinson
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