Catholic Health Association of Saskatchewan(CHAS):
MEDIA RELEASE – Provincial Government Needs to Increase Support for Special Care Homes
NEWS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – OCTOBER 1, 2020
GOVERNMENT CALLED ON TO CREATE PROVINCIAL STANDARDS FOR SPECIAL CARE HOMES
Saskatoon, October 1, 2020 — The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the struggle of Special Care Homes right across Canada. The Catholic Health Association of Saskatchewan (CHAS) supports its member Special Care Homes which are asking the provincial government for long overdue standards that would elevate the safety and care for the people living in our Special Care Homes.
“Special Care Homes in Saskatchewan have been chronically under-resourced and under- staffed for decades,” said CHAS Executive Director, Blake Sittler. “We are entrusted with the care of vulnerable residents who require specialized care to meet their day to day needs. These are our grandparents, parents, spouses, children and they deserve so much more”.
In April 2013, the Government of Saskatchewan produced a document entitled “Program Guidelines for Special Care Homes” (revised 2016). The document outlines policies with respect to what elements should be contained in a Special Care Home. Unfortunately, the guidelines do not identify the standards or a quantifiable measure to meet these elements. In the Throne Speech delivered on September 23, 2020, a commitment to work with provinces and territories to set new national standards for long-term care for seniors was made. We are ready now to assist in developing those standards.
Sittler continued, “I’ve seen the care and compassion that the staff in our care homes put into their work for the residents but at some point in time the only way to increase the quality of care is to increase the resources to meet the growing and complex needs of the folks who call these respective places home”.
“We need measurable standards for care and appropriate resources to ensure these homes have what they need to care for the residents,” Sittler noted.
“The needs of the people in Special Care Homes have radically changed over the last thirty years,” Sittler explained. “The needs are more complex but the baseline resources have remained the same for decades”.
“Some of our homes have been offering care for Saskatchewan residents for over 70 years,” Sittler noted. “The affiliate Special Care Homes have a history in this province that gives CHAS an obligation to advocate for more and better care for our residents and more support for the staff delivering that care”.
“COVID is definitely an issue that is in the forefront at this time,” says Sittler. “But the issues of under-resourcing and under-staffing have existed for years. This pandemic and an upcoming provincial election have given us a brief opportunity to highlight these issues again in the hope that the government will articulate long-overdue standards”.
“We all love someone in a special care home,” Sittler concluded. “What I hope people will do is think about them and then call their MLA and ask them what their plan is to create standards of care with measurable outcomes and a defined resource base to meet the needs of the vulnerable people who live in our Special Care Homes”.
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For more information, please contact:
Blake Sittler
Executive Directo
r306.270.5452
blake@chassk.ca www.chassk.ca
Special Care Home Members of the Catholic Health Association of Saskatchewan
St. Joseph’s Hospital and Foyer d’Youville, Gravelbourg
Providence Place, Moose Jaw
St. Joseph’s Integrated Health Centre, Macklin
Villa Pascal, North Battleford
Foyer St. Joseph Nursing Home, Ponteix
St. Joseph’s Hospital, Estevan
Mont St. Joseph Home, Prince Albert
Santa Maria Senior Citizens Home, Regina
St. Ann’s Senior Citizen’s Village, Saskatoon
Samaritan Place, Saskatoon
Radville Marian Health Centre, Radville