The Saskatchewan Health Authority’s (SHA) 2019 CEO Tour report shows that three long-term care homes in Moose Jaw are in better condition compared to similar buildings in the rest of Saskatchewan.
The SHA released the report at the end of May, with the document summarizing the visits to each provincial long-term care (LTC) home that the organization’s CEO — or other executive members — took last year. The Saskatchewan Health Authority — and previously, regional health authorities — has conducted these annual tours since 2013. The goal is to find out what’s working well and what can be improved.
The Saskatchewan NDP jumped on the report days after it was released, saying the document reveals how there are significant problems in long-term care in this province. The party used the report to call for legislated minimum care standards with adequate government funding.
The three care-homes here that the SHA leadership visited last year were Extendicare Moose Jaw, Pioneer Lodge and Providence Place.
Extendicare Moose Jaw
Karen Earnshaw, vice-president of integrated rural health, and other SHA executives visited Extendicare Moose Jaw on Sept. 24, 2019. Their report showed:
What works well
- There are 160 employees, 125 beds, a special needs unit, and two nursing units
- The residents’ council meets monthly; it discusses menu choices and good fundraising opportunities
- Department heads and nurses huddle daily and meet using Extendicare format
- Patient satisfaction surveys are positive and completed by Extendicare staff
- There is a secure outdoor space
- Tub rooms have ceiling tracks and a good preventative maintenance contract for lifts
- There are a low number of viral outbreaks per year
- Breakfast is relaxed and there are different food choices. Staff serve residents at their tables, corporate office develops the menu and families are happy with staff
Areas of improvement
- Families want more private rooms; there are mostly semi-private and four-bed rooms. There are 21 private rooms, but residents only get such beds when they become available
- The home is old; there is asbestos labelling; the hallways are crowded; there is mould in the tub room; residents have to do their own laundry; there are shared washrooms; there are no ceiling tracks in small rooms
- The home struggles to find cooks
- Hallways need to be decluttered and the number of four-bed wards needs to be reduced
- Daily visual management does not happen effectively or consistently
- There is no emergency generator
- The home is having challenges with its new pharmacy contract
Pioneer Lodge
Brenda Schwan, executive director of primary health care of integrated rural health, and two other SHA executives visited Pioneer Lodge on Sept. 5, 2019. Their report showed:
What works well
- The home added a bariatric room
- Wall protection was installed in residents’ rooms
- Call bells were installed in residents’ washrooms
- Families know who to contact if they have issues
- The home has a partnership with Heartland Hospice
Areas of improvement
- The building needs to be painted
- Families would like the residents to have more choice
- There needs to be a greater emphasis on a resident-centred model of care
Providence Place
Scott Livingstone, the CEO of SHA, and other executive members visited Providence Place on Aug. 26, 2019. Their report showed:
What works well
- The building is clean and well-maintained; the paint and interior are looking a little dated but will be renewed
- Staff respond to resident requests and concerns quickly
- There is a strong residents’ council
- Staff are kind to residents and care is excellent
- Employees work to make activities visible through daily visual management, while they are working to formalize daily visual management, including safety huddles
- The leadership of the building is positive, patient and resident-focused
Areas for improvement
- An evaluation of staffing on nights needs to happen
- Staff have been seen interacting too often throughout the building
- The menu needs more variety
- The outside spaces and gardens need to be maintained for activities
- Residents have concerns about the provincial linen service, especially washcloth quality
- Replacement of windows is now underway in a staged manner, while blind replacement could happen
NDP concerns
“It is heartbreaking, but sadly not surprising, to read this report,” NDP Leader Ryan Meili said in a news release. “When families face the decision to move a loved one into long-term care, the findings detailed in this report are exactly what they worry about. Staff and administrators are run off their feet in these facilities, doing their best with limited resources.
“It is simply not right for seniors – the people who built this province – to be neglected and worried about asking for help because the staff are so busy and overwhelmed. We need to take action. We need to do better than this.”
