Providence Place Responds To Former Resident's Concerns
By Robert Thomas
Providence Place has not been directed by the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) to make room for any Covid – 19 patients, in fact, the opposite is true says the facility's executive director Georgia Hutchinson.
In an emailed response to a series of questions Hutchinson said every effort is being made to ensure Covid – 19 is not brought into the facility.
“The Saskatchewan Health Authority has not provided any direction to Providence Place (PP)to discharge their clients in order to accommodate COVID-19 patients,” Hutchison wrote. “Providence Place is acting on the direction of the Chief Medical Health Officer and SHA in order to contain, delay and mitigate the transmission into our facility.”
“We can assure our community families and friends that PP is implementing extraordinary measures and precautions to prevent the transmission of Covid19 virus into our facility,” she wrote.
Hutchinson made the comments in response to the story Wheelchair Bound Resident Expresses Fears After Being “Forced Out” Of Providence Place.
In the story a former temporary wheelchair bound resident claimed a Providence Place staff member had said they had to move out of the facility because of Covid – 19.
The former resident was in Providence Place for extensive rehabilitation which requires physiotherapy amongst others.
The former temporary resident claimed a staff member had said there was pressure being applied from above to move out of the facility and the pressure was said to be coming from the SHA.
The SHA said in a statement to MJ Independent it has not given direction for Providence Place to move any patients out.
The former temporary resident's claims were seemingly backed up by a second resident who claimed they were facing pressure to vacate as well and being told a similar story by a Providence Place staffer.
Hutchinson did not respond to a question asking why two residents were making similar claims and stories about what they had allegedly been told in an effort to have them vacate the facility.
Providence Place has shut down a number of services due to the potential spread of Covid – 19.
Exactly which services have been closed and the number of clients, both resident and in the community, who do not temporarily have access to these services Hutchinson did not respond to.
“Any and all services that have been put on hold has been done to protect our residents, clients and staff to reduce the risk of transmission,” she wrote.
There was no response if the temporary suspension of these services had resulted in any other discharges from the facility. Nor was a response given if there was any means to safely provide the services.
Regarding if Providence Place had ever dealt with a situation as what is happening with Covid – 19 Hutchinson said it is unprecedented and rapidly changing.
“We are in unprecedented times, operating in a very dynamic environment, we are, as best is possible, responsive to the changing needs and protocols.”
An example of a change made by the Province is from Friday on all workers at long term care facilities must now have their temperatures taken and monitored for Covid – 19 prior to going to work. The move is due to a care worker at a Regina facility, and not affiliated with Providence Place whatsoever, testing positive for Covid – 19.
Due to patient confidentiality Hutchinson said she could not discuss individual cases.
“We can not discuss the specifics of this case or any case obviously for reasons of confidentiality,” she wrote.
She did however respond in general terms as to the discharge procedure.
“Providence Place takes discharge planning very seriously; we do all we can to prepare the client for that transition,” she wrote. “Once a multi-disciplinary team, including the physician, believes a client is ready to be discharged, we exhaust all available resources to assist with discharge planning to create a seamless transition to their community destination.”
In our initial story a former temporary resident claimed being “forced out” of the facility before they were ready to leave and proper supports in place.
The resident said they were taken by ambulance and dropped at a friend's home who helped out of friendship and compassion.
A question asking given some of the situations people may be returning to with Covid - 19 and then self isolating without much assistance was any consideration being given to allow patients who might be regularly discharged to simply remain at Providence Place was not responded to.
The wheelchair bound former resident said their home is not ready for their return as it requires renovations for it to be wheelchair accessible. Renovations the individual cannot afford.
MJ Independent additionally asked Hutchinson what supports were being provided to the wheelchair bound individual needed to successfully be in the community. The questions also asked where and how those supports could be accessed.
“The discharge team will make recommendations for all elements of a safe discharge from the necessary equipment to homecare support up to transitioning to a different level of care,” Hutchinson wrote.
As of early Friday morning the former resident had yet to be contacted by home care or any other health agency as to what help was going to be provided.
In order to protect the wheelchair bound individual's identity MJ Independent cannot release the nature of the medical problems other than to state they are serious in nature and most likely will require some form of outside assistance.
The individual also has diabetes as well as being immune compromised making contracting Covid – 19 potentially fatal. It complicates any outside entry to their home to provide any services difficult during the pandemic.