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Lack of beds means Golden Links seniors sleeping in sunrooms

Lack of beds means Golden Links seniors sleeping in sunrooms

A shortage of vacant beds at Winnipeg personal care homes means the 86 residents forced out of Golden Links Lodge early Sunday morning are sleeping in common areas in other care homes.

The basement of Golden Links Lodge flooded and emergency officials evacuated the building around 3 a.m. Sunday.

Lori Lamont of the Winnipeg Regional health Authority (WRHA) said some residents had to be moved a second time, from Vista Park Lodge to Actionmarguerite in St. Boniface because of a lack of space.

But she said the residents are not in private rooms.

"No," she said. "They're going into large communal areas. We don't have any vacant space right now. So we're setting them up in solariums or multi-purpose rooms."

Lamont said many of the Golden Links residents are in wheelchairs and require a high level of care. She said staff have gone with them.

"Staff are doing a good job and families have been in and are assisting us," she said. "We will do our best to provide privacy to them."

The health authority says it's trying to make more long-term arrangements for the affected residents.

There was still no word Monday on when the Golden Links Lodge residents will be able to return home, as officials are still trying to determine what caused the basement to flood.

As of Monday afternoon, at least 80 truckloads of water have been pumped out and there's still water in the basement, according to the health authority.

Lamont said it's not known how long it will take to assess the damage and make repairs.