Seniors' advocate calls on N.L. government to overhaul care system
Moving responsibilities to new department could help fix 'broken' system, says Susan Walsh
A blistering report from Newfoundland and Labrador's seniors' advocate calls for a complete overhaul of what she calls a broken system.
The report was written in response to the provincial government's inaction to implement recommendations outlined by the auditor general's office in February, says Susan Walsh, which followed a separate report that found troubling instances of mistreatment of seniors in care.
"Unfortunately, we have not seen an implementation plan from government on the 23 recommendations that it contained," Walsh told reporters Thursday.
"The system is broken. It needs a full redesign.… This is a call to action. For too long, seniors have waited to see change in the long-term care and personal care home systems and it has not happened."
The report outlines 11 new recommendations, many of which centre on changing how long-term care and personal care homes are governed in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Walsh says she wants to see all responsibilities of care for seniors — from home support to palliative care — moved from the Department of Health and Community Services to the new Department of Seniors.
That department is a new addition to government by Premier John Hogan. It's headed by Minister John Abbott.
"If given the proper authority, this could be the beginning of change," Walsh said. "We are concerned that the community services for seniors are getting lost in the Department of Health, because the Department of Health really has such a strong focus on acute care."
The report also calls on the new department to create an action plan to see February's recommendations implemented. It wants to see that done through a continuum of care strategy that sets legislative standards for programs and services and outlines consequences for non-compliance.
Walsh pointed to legislation currently in place in Alberta that could benefit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians.
"We're the only province in the country at this point who doesn't have long-term care legislation. But now, we have a learning. Let's not just create legislation for long-term care, and then 10 years from now realize, 'Oh, we should have a continuum.' Let's go there today," she said.
Walsh said the family and resident council system also needs to be greatly improved to help seniors. She called for each personal and long-term care home in the province to have its own council that reports to a council for each health zone of Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services.
In the House of Assembly on Tuesday, PC Leader Tony Wakeham brought the issue to the floor.
"The challenge with this is the lack of action," he said. "They create good reports, but then it's extremely frustrating when the recommendations you make don't get acted upon."
Health Minister Krista Lynn Howell told the House that work is underway to develop continuum care legislation and draft operational standards for personal care homes.
Speaking with reporters at a separate health-related event on Thursday, Hogan — who was the minister of health in February — said the department accepted the findings of the February report and takes the recommendations seriously.
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With files from Mark Quinn