As P.E.I. grapples with keeping seniors at home, a new digital tool could offer some relief
Andrew MacDougall readily concedes most seniors would somewhat age at dwelling than be admitted to a long-term care facility.
Talking earlier than the standing committee on well being and social improvement on June 15, the province’s government director for group well being and seniors care, mentioned P.E.I.’s health-care system has relied on institutionalized take care of seniors when care may as a substitute be supplied at their properties.
MacDougall believes a brand new digital device, generally known as interRAI, may assist the province’s health-care system preserve many seniors at dwelling whereas offering the care they want. The device is used broadly throughout Canada.
He additionally says this might assist alleviate a number of the strain on the province’s long-term care sector.
“We do have an over-reliance on long-term care,” MacDougall instructed members of the committee.
“We have to maintain investing extra in restorative companies, respite companies, improve the quantity of hours which are out there for individuals in our dwelling care group.”
The Omicron wave of COVID-19 exacerbated current employees shortages inside most of the province’s long-term care properties. Unions representing long-term care employees have mentioned this has resulted in accelerating charges of burn-out amongst employees.
The interRAI digital device replaces a paper-based system that has been used for years to evaluate well being helps and care plans for seniors.
MacDougall mentioned the device may standardize the method of figuring out what dwelling care helps are wanted for Island seniors. It additionally may assist release assets in each Island hospitals and will scale back admission to long-term care.
He says the device may even assist the province with information assortment.
Well being P.E.I. doesn’t at present know what number of long-term care residents may at present be cared for at dwelling.
It’s not clear how P.E.I. will create the capability wanted in dwelling care.
A five-year seniors’ well being technique additionally identifies dwelling care as a key answer to most of the challenges dealing with long-term care however doesn’t set out definitive funding targets for these companies.
“A part of the explanation behind that’s plenty of these initiatives … they’re at modelling phases,” MacDougall instructed SaltWire.
“It is one factor to say it in analysis and one factor to mannequin it. We have to see what the precise affect goes to be.”
Resolution not new
The concentrate on diverting assets to dwelling care will not be a brand new answer. The 2002 Romanow Commission, a federal fact-finding train tasked with recommending fixes for Canada’s health-care system, referred to as dwelling care “an more and more essential ingredient of our well being system.” The fee beneficial a devoted switch from Ottawa dedicated to dwelling care.
Regardless of this, dwelling care companies stay underfunded throughout the nation.
In his e book Uncared for No Extra, Globe and Mail reporter Andre Picard famous that dwelling care shoppers in lots of components of the nation had their companies lowered within the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic resulting from fears they may contract the virus. Many ended up being admitted to hospital or residential care.
“The irony was not misplaced on leaders within the dwelling care sector,” Picard wrote.
“Whereas thousands and thousands of Canadians had been being instructed to remain protected at dwelling, to shelter in place, a number of the most weak in society had been being compelled out of their properties.”
Restorative care
Through the committee assembly Liberal MLA Gord McNeilly famous an analogous instance in P.E.I. He raised the restorative care program at Prince Edward Dwelling, which was eradicated. This system targeted on rehabilitating sufferers with the aim of permitting them to return to their properties or entry extra impartial care.
“That restorative care wing, that 12-bed unit was gutted at PE Dwelling and changed with the dementia wing,” McNeilly mentioned.
“Who made this resolution? When is the wing coming again?”
MacDougall mentioned that, within the early phases of the pandemic, well being officers targeted on transferring sufferers out of hospitals to arrange for an anticipated surge of COVID-19 sufferers.
Dementia care sufferers had been “decanted” to Prince Edward Dwelling, displacing the restorative care beds.
MacDougall famous that there have been 22 whole restorative care beds in P.E.I. pre-pandemic. There are 10 now.
“Restorative care is fantastic,” MacDougall instructed McNeilly.
“Actually I feel we now have a possibility to re-envision what long-term care may seem like. And restorative care care is definitely a possible.”
