The union representing nursing homes and workers in New Brunswick says the government has failed those working in the sector and seniors as more than 40 long-term care facilities grapple with COVID-19 outbreaks.
New Brunswick Council of Nursing Home Unions president Sharon Teare said communication about outbreaks isn’t happening — with them or the public.
She said she took it upon herself to reach out to the 51 nursing homes her union represents and get a gauge on how many of them had outbreaks and how many health-care workers in the sector were out as a result of COVID-19.
“Some are doing it well and doing it really well, and some so poorly, and with no direction and with no communication and no preventative plans in place,” she said in an interview Wednesday.
Teare said she’s heard from nurses working in the sector who describe being hopeless and in tears because of the current situation facing nursing homes.
“A message was going out, nurses call out (the) government for heartbreaking failures in nursing homes that (are) having an impact on our seniors’ quality of life,” she said.
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“There are just so many inconsistencies in what is happening all of the 51 nursing homes,” she said on Wednesday.
According to the Department of Social Development, 47 long-term care facilities have COVID-19 outbreaks. It breaks down to 13 nursing homes and 34 special care homes.
Within the nursing homes, 33 residents have COVID-19 and 60 staff members are out due to the virus.
Within the special care homes, 279 residents are positive for COVID-19 and 169 staff members are out due to the virus.
It also said Social Development is handling all the outbreaks in the various nursing homes — something it described as new and a shift in policy.
The Provincial Rapid Outbreak Management Team (PROMPT), which helps vulnerable sectors handle COVID-19 outbreaks, is activated in 32 of the 34 special care homes, according to a spokesperson for the department.
On Friday, though, government officials did not address the allegation it failed the long-term care sector as COVID-19 and the Omicron wave continue to bear down on the province.
“But with respect to our contribution from a Public Health perspective, and a health perspective, again, we’ve been at the table the entire time with respect to recommendations and actions and operationalizing them,” Dr. Jennifer Russell, the province chief medical officer of health, said at a briefing Friday.
Russell said those living in long-term care, who are considered the populations most vulnerable, were always given priority when it comes to vaccines and boosters.
She said they are the most protected against the virus.
The Department of Social Development also said one person within a long-term care facility has died as a result of the recent outbreaks.
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