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N.L. commits to review of long-term care and personal-care homes

Health Minister Tom Osborne says a review of long-term care and personal-care homes will 'help transform' the system in Newfoundland and Labrador.  (Danny Arsenault/CBC - image credit)
Health Minister Tom Osborne says a review of long-term care and personal-care homes will 'help transform' the system in Newfoundland and Labrador. (Danny Arsenault/CBC - image credit)
Danny Arsenault/CBC
Danny Arsenault/CBC

Newfoundland and Labrador Health Minister Tom Osborne says the provincial government will undertake a comprehensive review of long-term care and personal care homes in the province, a move critics say is long overdue.

Osborne, announcing the review at Confederation Building on Thursday morning, said it's expected to take six to eight months. The purpose of the review is to improve the quality of life for the residents of care facilities, enhance staff engagement and improve the working lives of staff members, he said.

"We'll look at things such as spousal separation. We'll look at best practices outside of the province as well as inside the province," Osborne said.

"This will help transform our personal-care and long-term care to seniors and other individuals who need those supports throughout Newfoundland and Labrador."

Osborne wouldn't say there are shortcomings in the long-term care and personal-care home system but did say there is room for improvement.

In October, provincial Seniors' Advocate Susan Walsh renewed her push for a complete review of the system, which she called "gut-wrenching" based on some of the stories her office was hearing.

"Seniors do deserve better in their adult life. They've given everything to this province and they deserve better treatment," she said at the time.

Osborne acknowledged the announced review is partly in response to Walsh's recommendation, but added it's "something that government wanted to do in any event."

"This is an important review. It will provide us guidance and advice," he said.

The review panel consists of Dr. Susan Mercer, Eastern Health's clinical chief of older adult care; Dr. Janice Keefe, director of the Nova Scotia Centre on Aging and chair of Mount Saint Vincent's department of family studies and gerontology; and Kelli O'Brien, president and CEO of the St. John's Care Group and former vice-president of Western Health.

That panel will also invite somebody with experience in the long-term care and personal-care system to sit on the advisory board.

"I think what we're seeing is the complexity of care is increasing and we really want to know that our staff are prepared for that. I think that ties into some of the staffing issues that we're seeing," Mercer said.

Paul Daly/CBC
Paul Daly/CBC

Osborne said the provincial government is looking for ways to address long wait-list times for adults needing long-term care.

"Part of that is looking at the admissions criteria and whether or not there can be an expanded role for personal-care homes in taking some of the less acute Level 3 admissions that are currently going to long-term care homes," he said.

"We currently have beds that are available but no staff available to take some individuals in long-term care as we speak. If we improve the quality of work-life for individuals in long-term care they'd be more willing and more focused on working in long-term care."

Long time calling for changes: opposition

PC health critic Paul Dinn said the review should have been done years ago.

"We knew that we had an older population coming, an older demographic, and nothing has been done. You can go back to 2015 and before and there's been reports on this," he said.

"When people start bringing real problems to the table this government finally reacts. It's heartbreaking.… Until I see the final product, I won't be happy."

Interim NDP Leader Jim Dinn said, "It's about time," adding his party has been calling for changes to long-term care for some time.

"I can tell you our office, my office in particular, we've been dealing in the last few months with the issues of people fighting to get their loved ones moved into long-term care facilities from an hour and a half away to St. John's," he said.

"Not only look at the staffing issue, but also how do we keep people out of these long-term care homes and keep them independent and living in their own community as long as possible? That's an investment in people that this government needs to realize."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador