The federal government announced new recommendations for long-term care (LTC) service standards last wee, but B.C. ‘s health minister, Adrian Dix, says the province is ahead in terms of individual care and provides “3.36 hours of direct care per resident a day.”
However, Cecilia Agnes Kloster, a Kelowna, B.C., senior who helped take care of her friend in a home, disagrees with Minister Dix’s statement. Her experience with a low staff ratio in an LTC has taught her how difficult it is for people to get the care they need.
“I was ringing the call bell for 20 minutes it kept being shut off before somebody finally came. It took an hour before she got something for pain. The person that came in with the pain medication, she told me she was doing the job of three people,” said Kloster
Kloster was an approved visitor for her longtime friend who suffered from dementia and was residing at the David Lloyd Jones care home. She tells Global News the she did not see that amount of care be given.
Kloster said she would go four or five days a week for several hours to help care for her friend because there wasn’t enough staff to deal with the number of residents.
“I changed her, I was told by a supervisor I wasn’t allowed to do that. But it’s alright that they can sit in soiled incontinence pads.”
Over the last week, many people have shared the same concerns over issues in long-term care homes but did not want to be identified for fear of backlash or further lack of care for their loved ones currently in Okanagan care homes.
Kloster said she was thankful she could be there for her friend but said many others have no one.
“I always said to my friend I would be there for her till the end. All these people in there that don’t have anybody, or an advocate,” Kloster said.
Global News reached out to Interior Health for comment, to which they responded with this statement;
“Similar to most employers, Interior Health is facing health human resource challenges and that includes staffing in our long-term care homes. However, staff levels have begun to stabilize in our long-term care homes, while recruitment and retention continues to be a top priority,” said Interior Health.
Unfortunately, Kloster said her friend had a bad fall and took a turn for the worse. Four days later, at the age of 103, she passed away.
Kloster encourages more people to come forward and show courage.