Whitehorse Daily Star

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Darius Elias, Jan Stick and Sandy Silver

Gov’t. all over the map on facility: opposition

Questions and accusations around the 300-bed continuing care facility planned for Whistle Bend reached a heightened pitch Wednesday,

By Christopher Reynolds on April 23, 2015

Questions and accusations around the 300-bed continuing care facility planned for Whistle Bend reached a heightened pitch Wednesday, as MLAs debated a motion on the largest capital project in the territory since the Alaska Highway.

Debate concerned the size, cost – $330 million, according to an independent estimate – and consultations around the building as well as its suitability over home care.

“Home care is effective, but is not a substitute for continuing care for those who require a significant level of support or specialized services,” said Government House Leader Darius Elias, who introduced the motion.

“A Yukon Party government priority remains to keep Yukoners in their communities and homes as long as possible,” he added.

“We believe that this facility will fill an important gap and demonstrated need in our community.”

The motion urged the government to go ahead with the massive facility, “designed for future expansion in recognition of Yukon’s growing senior population,” while keeping an eye on home care.

The motion passed later in the afternoon.

Liberal Leader Sandy Silver agreed with Elias that seniors should be able to “stay in their homes and home communities as long as possible.” But he questioned its apparent shift on the facility’s size.

A government release last December states: “The initial phase will be for 150 beds, with the second phase of an additional 150 beds to begin immediately after completion.”

Other statements last year suggested likewise, with a request for proposals concerning “construction of a 300-bed facility.”

In his April 2 budget speech, however, Premier Darrell Pasloski emphasized “construction of the 150-bed Whistle Bend care facility.” He added yesterday that the government might “expand it at a later date, if the need is there.”

The modified stance opens up questions on provision for other types of care as well as the costs of a 150-bed facility with administrative, kitchen and laundry space built to accommodate twice that number of patents.

Education Minister Doug Graham, formerly head of Health and Social Services, apologized for the fuzzy perceptions.

“I should never – and I accept responsibility for this – have said that we were building a 300-bed facility. I should have stated then that we are constructing a 150-bed facility with the option of converting it to a 300-bed facility in the future,” he told the legislature.

Silver also pointed to the disparity between a $330-million construction cost estimate reached by an independent consultant and the $268-million cost settled on by an internal government analysis.

“Yukoners are understandably nervous when they see this government barge into a major construction project without a plan,” Silver said in a statement today.

“We haven’t begun the actual planning and the architectural engineering things that would determine exactly how much this building will cost,” Graham replied.

“It’s going to cost in the $250- to $350-million range.

“The lower figure produced last fall was an estimate for both phases of the facility in ‘today’s dollars,’ i.e. if construction had begun immediately,” government spokeswoman Elaine Schiman said in a release.

“The higher figure is an estimate that includes an escalation factor that includes longer timelines, since construction is expected to begin a year from now and not be complete until spring 2018.”

Yukon NDP Health critic Jan Stick said the government has not consulted physicians’ or nurses’ associations, seniors, family members or communities on the plan.

“Everything to date has been done without any input from the people most impacted,” she told the Star this morning.

Stick noted the facility would sit relatively far from Whitehorse General Hospital. She criticized the absence of comparative studies with alternative solutions for “more cost-effective ways to provide care in patients’ homes.”

She acknowledged “some senior citizens will need continuing care facilities, expanded to deal with dementia and with acute problems.”

Seniors are the fastest-growing age group in the territory.

Government estimates peg 20 per cent of residents at age 65 or older by 2036, versus 10 per cent last year.

Since 2003, the home care budget has risen about 350 per cent to $5.6 million along with the aging Yukon population.

In the House yesterday, NDP Leader Liz Hanson characterized the government’s planning process as a “top-down, father-knows-best approach to determining the kind of care that will be available to seniors.”

A business case analysis of the continuing care facility last July followed a needs assessment in June 2013.

The former listed a site in Porter Creek as the ideal spot, “an excellent location for the new Whitehorse continuing care facility.”

Possible soil issues were among the reasons Whistle Bend was suggested secondarily.

“It is a suitable location for the new facility on many fronts, although it can be said that a lot rides on the future and continued development of Whistle Bend,” the report states.

Construction of the 150-bed first phase is slated to begin in January 2016.

The facility will likely offer advanced dementia care services, hospice palliative care, a subacute activation unit, mental health unit, bariatric care and a day program.

Health Minister Mike Nixon said the cost for people in acute care hospital beds is over 500 per cent more than those in continuing care beds – “$2,000 a day versus approximately $350 a day.”

About 58 people are currently waiting for care facilities services, 19 of whom are in Whitehorse General Hospital, Nixon added.

Roughly 520 clients around the territory are under home care, Graham said. About 40 percent of those home care clients are at “high risk for institutionalization.”

“I know in Carmacks and in Pelly and in Teslin – and I talked to the elders or to their grandchildren – they tell me about their importance in the community and how they want to age in place,” said Jim Tredger, the NDP MLA for Mayo-Tatchun.

The government has set aside $26 million in this year’s budget for the project.

See commentary.

Comments (7)

Up 49 Down 29

NDp Show the Yukoner's your map on Apr 27, 2015 at 12:20 pm

All you have shown so far is increasing minimum wage which would cost seniors, lost wage earners more because the cost would go up to cover the increase and tourism and small business would die.
You want to put in place wage and price controls for the middle class, Good one.
You want to totally stop any economic growth so our kids have to leave.
You want to take the Yukon into debt, spending on non benefit government programs that will be targeted at 1% of our population.
The best I heard was building two centers for seniors, driving up the cost per beds by 25% for two facilitates instead of one and have only 225 beds instead for the same money giving the Yukoners 300 beds.
So is it good service to our seniors and fiscal management by the NDP to construct one facility and provide 300 beds or build two for the same money and provide 225 beds.

Up 19 Down 20

June Jackson on Apr 25, 2015 at 8:13 pm

I want to add another comment here about Seniors, and where they live. If I had MY druthers...I'd like to see a nice senior trailer court. A trailer is really a perfect accommodation for a senior... they are one floor, easy to clean, bathroom is generally a couple of steps from the bedroom. There is a washer and dryer, and parking is generally close to the door. It is easy to make them accessible to handicapped with ramps and bathroom facilities. Seniors can have a pet if they wish, they'd have a yard for gardening. The government can look after maintenance just like they do the apt. buildings. Trailers are also low maintenance if they are installed right to begin with. Also, it's far easier to get a person out of a trailer and into an ambulance, than to cart someone off the 3rd floor, especially since the elevators don't always work. Seniors should be active, so put a few trails in where they can walk or walk their pets.

Take a survey, if seniors want this, turn one of the existing buildings into continuing care. But leave senior buildings too for those who do not want to live in a trailer... it's all about being free to choose.

The government isn't giving seniors ALL the choices that could be available to them.

Up 27 Down 26

Josey Wales on Apr 24, 2015 at 8:43 am

Global warming? Hell no...I think the fictional "hell" just froze over?
Huh Josey, you may ponder?
I agree with members of the opposition and (ultra gasp) the red team.
Blue team (my ol' team) is in serious trouble and like a rabbit soon to be eaten...is fretting/squealing with the outcome.

Folks, never thought I'd ever say this..here it goes...
Blue team, matters not the topic, matters not the "moral", matters not the quarrel and to Darrell his matters seem to be the only matter to be concerned with.
Also my mere opinion, my ol' team...has not a clue what they are doing...not a effin clue.
Of course being so right leaning as I am, the alternatives scare the shite outta me and my future here.
However given the stellar successes I've had as of late (sarc. for those in the know)
How bad might it get this fall...I dunno?
What I do know, is my choice now...is to stay home that day.

Blue team, this is for YOU nnnKay?

30 plus years of my loyal support, vaporized by Darrell's team.
Not I repeat NOT so much in the disappointment to PM Harper, there are a few of those believe me. But more of my need to pull the "eject seat", came from YOUR team Darrell...and your version of leadership.

I will not even entertain the notion of supporting the National Destruction Party, nor the "fortunate son's" team of triple dippers and PC zealots, Team Green is living in a fairytale land of eco-lollypops, so?

Count me out, despite nagging folks for decades to go vote.
Darrell I hope you and your team are proud of yourselves, as you created a few of us..."ol' supporters" whom are just DONE!

gee...I have a "hunch" the often epic "edit" will not happen today...imagine eh?
...less the "gee.." line I suspect?

Up 47 Down 3

YukonMax on Apr 24, 2015 at 7:33 am

If only YG would stop hoarding everything in Whitehorse, maybe Whitehorse wouldn't be in such a housing crunch. Maybe some communities could benefit in running their own old folks homes with some assisted living units. Creating employment and giving the opportunity for all to stay put in their respective communities where their support bases are.
I know, I know...Communities...What's that?

Up 10 Down 3

Charles on Apr 23, 2015 at 9:51 pm

Home care is a great option for some, but not all. My own mother is in CRP because she can no longer walk. She is in a wheelchair and needs ceiling cranes to move her. Yes I could have had a crane installed in my home, but what happens when the crane doesn't work, as often happens? YTG has back up temp cranes for those situations, should home owners be expected to also provide these? YTG also has a policy of 2 people needed when moving a resident with a crane - hello I am only me, dead crane means disaster and a mother stuck in bed. Given all that need, I do think the proposed 150-300 bed facility is insane; we need smaller units, possibly at more cost, to embrace the needs of residents of all YT communities. If YTG keeps this up, they will solve their own problem as retirees will be back to the old days and leaving YT so need for care will diminish.

Up 19 Down 19

June Jackson on Apr 23, 2015 at 7:28 pm

The senior residents are full of seniors who had to leave their homes because they either physically could not keep up, or they couldn't afford it... Anyone REALLY think they are happy that they have to park half a mile away from the building entrance and haul their groceries? That they wouldn't love privacy? That they love walking down the hall to do some laundry? That they can't turn their TV up if they are a little deaf because people to the left, people to the right, above, below.. they have to pay for a tiny space to garden and then, its pillaged..not protected.. you think they wouldn't love to sit out on the porch and have the kids over for a barbecue?

This government is nothing but a bunch of liars. They don't want seniors in their own homes.. they want them under their thumb where they know every instant how much money they have or don't have. Yup..means tests... I despise this government. Is there any issue at all that they have been honest about?

Bottom line? If a senior wants to live in housing, space should be made for them. If a senior wants to stay in their home, stop with the lip service and help them do it. If they want to go into continuing care..then do it. Most seniors can proudly say.. I worked all my life to support this country and I deserve to have a choice in my old age. This government..they talk out of both sides of their mouth. oooooh.. they just make me so mad with all their BS.

Up 67 Down 67

At least the government has map to show where it is going on Apr 23, 2015 at 6:17 pm

The NDP don't have a map so they don't know where they are going with the Yukon. The Yukon Government does have a map but the NDP cannot read maps or don't know how to develop one or understand the fundamentals of a political map.
Yukon Party has a strong record of what is good for the Yukon people but the Liberals and NDP do not know what to do.

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