Cowichan Lodge closure: VIHA retreats on short notice, but damage to seniors' health has already been done
Nurses say the only way to restore public confidence in the health authority is to rescind immediately the plan to close the Lodge and other Island public long term care beds
Despite VIHA's retreat from its attempt to close down Cowichan Lodge within two months - rather than the legally-required one year - nurses say the harm done to the health, well-being and safety of Cowichan Lodge residents is irreversible.
"We welcome VIHA's move to finally do the right thing today and withdraw the exemption it got from the legal requirement to give 12 months notice before moving out all the residents and closing the home down," says Debra McPherson, president of the BC Nurses' Union. "But the damage has already been done, both to the well-being of Lodge residents and to public confidence in VIHA's ability to protect the safety and health of seniors on Vancouver Island."
McPherson says VIHA continues to pressure residents to move out, and is removing resources and amenities from the Lodge, despite the well-documented catastrophic, disorienting impact that rushed transfers can have on frail elderly people. "The only way VIHA can restore public confidence in its approach to seniors care is to rescind immediately its ill-conceived plan to close Cowichan Lodge and other public long term care beds, so Island seniors can continue to have access to care as needs increase into the future."
Nurses have learned that a total of 10 Cowichan Lodge residents have died since they were told in June of VIHA's rushed plan to close their home down and move them to other facilities.
BCNU wants the Health Ministry's Director of Licensing to halt all transfers from Cowichan Lodge and investigate the impact on residents' health caused by the closure.
"In light of the clear need for more long term care beds on the Island, VIHA should keep the promise it made to the community and keep Cowichan Lodge open," McPherson says.
BCNU retained legal counsel to appeal the notice exemption on behalf of Cowichan Lodge residents and families. Lawyers have assembled numerous affidavits documenting the harm done by the move. The material includes evidence from geriatric care experts testifying to the damaging effects of forced transfers on the frail elderly.
"It's no coincidence VIHA retreated on the exemption just days before the appeal was to be heard," McPherson says. "Obviously they wanted to avoid more bad PR. Instead of hiring a consultant to review the quality of their public relations, VIHA should focus on making better decisions affecting the quality of health care.
"It's unfortunate they applied for and got the short notice period in the first place, before causing such immense disruption and upset to the lives of seniors and their families. This whole matter has nothing to do with providing better care. It's all about turning over long term care residents and public dollars to fill new private, profit-driven facilities to meet the terms of their operators' contracts with VIHA," McPherson says.
VIHA withdrew its exemption after CEO Howard Waldner wrote yesterday to ask VIHA chief medical officer Richard Stanwick to withdraw the exemption, which Stanwick had issued July 2. Stanwick dutifully complied.
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