REGINA - Saskatchewan's ombudsman says the way the Saskatoon Health Region handled the eviction of 10 residents from a seniors home was unfair.
The residents, with an average age of 89, were in a form of assisted living at St. Mary's Villa in Humboldt. They were given a week to move out in February because the home needed to make space for 32 other patients with higher medical needs. Those patients lived in part of the facility where structural problems were found.
Ombudsman Kevin Fenwick said in a report released Thursday that the decision to close the area with structural problems was reasonable.
But the deadline for the move and the way it was handled were not.
"When someone tells you that you might have to move in eight days, the impact is significant," Fenwick said in a release.
"When you're in your 80s or 90s, it can be even more so.
"Despite the health region's good intentions and its efforts to compensate for those very short timelines, these seniors and their families went through a very difficult experience that could have been avoided," he wrote. "They felt stressed and disrespected."
The Saskatoon Health Region says it takes full responsibility for not giving residents adequate notice.
Health region president Maura Davies said they should have given the seniors who lived at St. Mary's Villa more time to prepare.
"In hindsight, we should’ve, could’ve done things differently,” she said, adding that they accept the Ombudsman's report in its entirety.
Davies said the health region did a poor job communicating.
“We know that we could have done better, despite the hard work of many of our staff … for that, we truly are sorry,” she said.
Fenwick is making four recommendations. Among them is a suggestion that the Saskatoon Health Region develop policy to guide moves of elderly people. He also said the region should thoroughly review and revise manuals to reflect the lessons learned from what happened at St. Mary's.
"The most important thing here for these residents was the short period of notice, so the most important thing that should happen is engage people who are affected by your decisions while you are in the decision-making process, not once the decision has already been made," Fenwick said at a news conference.
"The regional staff ... made what they thought were good decisions and they thought they were doing the best thing for these residents. But ultimately it was a decision that was made ... 'to' instead of ... 'with.' (It's) inconsistent with best practices models of decision-making for governmental institutions."
The ombudsman noted in his report that the health region was aware of structural problems at St. Mary's months before the final decision was made to move the seniors.
The report says senior health region officials were at St. Mary's in the spring of 2011 to talk about the findings of an investigation into a deadly carbon monoxide leak. Three residents died and dozens of others fell sick when a gas leak in a boiler caused CO poisoning.
That was when officials decided to address problems with linoleum in that part of the home.
A draft engineering report found bigger problems than lifting linoleum. It said the flooring on the unit was deteriorating.
Fenwick said staff had identified seniors who might have to move as early as last December, but didn't want to cause "undue alarm" by sharing information before having all the details.
That meant "the region missed opportunities" to give the seniors and their families advance notice.
The ombudsman said the region used what it calls an incident command process to help staff manage the short time frame when moving the 10 residents became necessary. But that focused staff on meeting the deadline at the expense of the seniors and their families.
The health region helped move the 10 seniors, most of them to a private seniors housing complex.
Even the relocation did not go smoothly. The movers were late, and packing and unloading took longer than expected.
According to the ombudsman's report, one staff member reflected: "It started off bad and it went downhill. If anything could have gone wrong, it did."
Family members complained that the situation was stressful for the seniors. The families said their loved ones were getting the "bum's rush to the door."
Some families also raised concerns that many of the residents were moved to a complex that costs more than twice as much as the villa. They said that cost would probably be impossible for most of the residents who rely solely on their pensions.
— With files from CKRM, CKOM
Also on HuffPost:
Old Age Security Facts
Here are some facts about Old Age Security. <em>With files from The Canadian Press</em> (Alamy)
Who Gets It?
98 per cent of Canadians aged 65 or older, regardless of whether they are retired, and regardless of their pre-retirement income.
Maximum monthly benefits are $540.12, and average benefits are slightly more than $500. (CP)
OAS is considered taxable income. It is also clawed back for people earning more than $69,562 a year. Anyone making more than $112,772 has to pay it all back. (Getty)
For people aged 65 to 69, OAS makes up 13 per cent of their income, on average. (Alamy)
About a third of OAS recipients also get the Guaranteed Income Supplement top-up, targeted at low-income seniors. GIS is income tested. (Thinkstock)
The maximum benefit for someone collecting OAS and GIS is $1,240 per month. (Jupiter Images)
Vilcabamba, Ecuador: From $600 A Month
Fill your lungs with fresh, clean air and bask in the warm sunshine of Vilcabamba, Ecuador. Vilcabamba is also known to have plenty of affordable organic food, according to <a href="http://internationalliving.com/2012/04/the-cheapest-places-to-retire/" target="_hplink">International Living</a>. Here, it's easy to stretch a dollar: The site <a href="http://internationalliving.com/2012/04/the-cheapest-places-to-retire/" target="_hplink">interviewed one ex-pat couple who live on $600 a month</a>. Monthly bills include $1.25 for gas for cooking and hot water; $1.70 for water and $30 for electricity. Gasoline in Ecuador costs less than $1.50 a gallon. Most home rentals are less than $400 a month. A healthy, stress-free lifestyle goes hand-in-hand with longevity: Many Vilcabamba residents live to be 100 years old, the site reports.
Santa Fe, Panama: From $800 A Month
Just 200 miles west of Panama City, lies Santa Fe, Panama, known for its rugged terrain, lush rainforest and hiking trails. <a href="http://internationalliving.com/2012/04/the-cheapest-places-to-retire/" target="_hplink">International Living interviewed an ex-pat</a> who called the health care "excellent," and was able to take care of a dental problem that would have cost $1,000 in the States for just $180.
Penang, Malaysia: From $1,200 A Month
Penang, Malaysia is a town that offers a rich historic architecture, lively street culture and sandy beaches, according to <a href="http://internationalliving.com/2012/04/the-cheapest-places-to-retire/" target="_hplink">International Living</a>. Aside from the scenery and recently opened performing arts center, Penang offers affordable healthcare: An annual check-up goes for just $12.
Granada, Nicaragua: From $700 A Month
If you're looking to retire in the cobblestone streets of Granada, Nicaragua, you can expect to find some 1,000 expatriates there with you. Granada is thriving with residents engaged in cultural events, outdoor activities and volunteering, according to <a href="http://internationalliving.com/2012/04/the-cheapest-places-to-retire/" target="_hplink">International Living</a>. As one ex-pat told the site: "I can get up in the morning, take a yoga class, get a manicure and pedicure, have a massage, meet my friends for happy hour, and do it all for less than $30!"
Campeche, Mexico: From $1,400 A month
On the Gulf of Mexico, 100 miles south of Mérida on Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula is Campeche, Mexico. A boardwalk stretches for three miles along the gulf, with paths for runners and cyclers. Living expenses for Campeche are relatively low: A week's worth of fruits and vegetables at the market will set you back less than $10, according to <a href="http://internationalliving.com/2012/04/the-cheapest-places-to-retire/" target="_hplink">International Living</a>. Although the town is beginning to build itself up a bit, with upcoming shopping malls and a wider highway, most residents can get by living in Campeche's historic neighborhoods without a car.