EDMONTON – Alberta seniors living in nursing homes will now get at least two baths a week.
The government has introduced new bathing standards for all continuing-care residents in the province.
“There’s no doubt that personal hygiene and the health of our residents is very, very important, but it’s also dignity too that we want to talk about, and to give families the assurance that the bathing needs will be met,” said George VanderBurg, Associate Minister of Seniors.
However, VanderBurg added that the senior’s individual care plan should continue to guide their treatment.
“The care plan that was developed between the residents, their families, and the care giver was always the trump card, and still always will be,” he explained. “Many of our residents don’t want two baths, and others may require more.”
Alberta’s Wildrose party criticized the government last year because residents were getting an average of one bath a week.
The government says two baths is now the minimum and, if residents need more, they will get them.
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Because some people can’t tolerate baths or get in and out of tubs, sponge baths and showers will also count.
“I’m going to make sure that we define a bath as a bath, a shower, a sponge bath, a full bed bath, and that we give residents the at least the choice of two of those going forward,” VanderBurg said Tuesday.
Tuesday afternoon, the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE) released a statement saying increasing the minimum number of baths that seniors in care receive is pointless if there aren’t enough staff to provide the service.
“Many facilities are reducing staff hours because of funding cuts,” said AUPE Vice President Glen Scott, who is also a licensed practical nurse.
“It’s all well and good to raise the standard, but if there’s no way to achieve the new standard it’s an empty gesture.”
Scott explained that all seniors’ home operators are expected to facilitate at least two baths per week per resident (up from once per week per resident) within their current budgets.
“This isn’t as simple as it sounds,” explained Scott in the news release. He added that many seniors have mobility issues and must be carefully lifted in and out of the tubs by more than one staff member.
While he says the AUPE supports the notion of increasing the standard of care, additional bathing requires adequate resources to complete properly and safely.
The full AUPE news release is posted below:
AUPE response to increased bathing standards by
With files from the Canadian Press
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