Resolutions

Be it resolved that the SUMA lobby the Ministry of Health to ensure adequate funding for the operational costs of municipally owned long-term care facilities so that operational deficits do not become the financial burden of the municipalities.

Response: A special-care (long-term-case) home is a facility that provides long-term care to meet the needs of individuals, usually with heavier care needs that cannot be met through home-based or community services. The Ministry of Health’s role is to provide funding to the regional health authorities. Regional health authorities are then responsible about priorities and managing care, including decisions regarding placement. The health region makes every effort to ensure safe and appropriate care is offered to its residents, while taking into consideration many mitigating factors. The provincial government remains committed to replacing outdated facilities and improving the safety and comfort of resident and health care providers. Our government has committed to build 13 new long-term care facilities to replace 13 outdated facilities throughout Saskatchewan. Community consultations, detailed workflow planning and engineering, architectural and design work is continuing. When these projects are ready to be tendered, they will undergo final approval and capital funds will be provide in future fiscal years. Personal care homes are privately owned and operated facilities that tend to offer accommodations, meals, and supervision or assistance with personal care to people who generally do not need or want the level of health services provided in publicly subsidized special-care homes. It is the combination of providing both accommodation and care that makes a facility a personal care home. While many of the personal care homes are for profit, there are 27 not for profit personal care homes in Saskatchewan. I understand that a number of these not-for profit facilities do not receive support from their communities. The Saskatchewan Housing Corporation, through the Ministry of Social Services, provides affordable, quality housing, for low-to modest-income seniors, families and people with disabilities. Social housing for seniors is available in more than 280 communities across Saskatchewan. Saskatchewan Assisted Living Services includes a group of services available to tenants of selected government subsidized rental housing for seniors. Services may include a maximum of one meal per day served in a common eating area, laundry and housekeeping, personal response system for unscheduled needs, social/recreational activities, and other interdependence-building services based on tenant interest and the community’s ability to provide the services.