Premier Darrell Pasloski and Health and Social Services Minister Mike Nixon are being asked to host an evening meeting focused on the continuing care facility being planned for Whistle Bend.

The request came Tuesday, during an information session government staff held with the Golden Age Society, Pat Living, a Department of Health and Social Services spokeswoman, said Wednesday.

As it was noted at the meeting, an evening event would allow those who work during the day to attend and direct their questions to elected officials.

After the request was made, those at the meeting were asked to raise a hand to show they were in favour of making the request, with most of those in the room raising a hand in agreement.

The premier and minister have not committed to hosting a meeting.

Cabinet spokesman Dan Macdonald said Wednesday department staff have been instructed to follow up with the Golden Age Society’s executive and find out what, if any, concerns were not addressed at Tuesday’s session.

Questioned whether the evening meeting would be held to deal with any outstanding concerns, Macdonald said: “We’ll have to see what they are.”

Along with calling for the evening meeting, those at Tuesday’s session sought details on the facility and continuing care provided in the territory.

The 150-bed facility is planned to be built in 2018 with the infrastructure in place to add up to another 150 beds in the future.

Living pointed to the need for the facility. There are between 45 and 60 people on a wait list in the territory for continuing care beds at any one time, she said.

In some cases, that means patients remain in hospital until space opens up at a continuing care facility due to the level of care they need.

A message from Nixon on the Health and Social Services web page also stresses the need for the new building.

“Our present residential care facilities no longer meet all the demands of our population,” Nixon states.

“With all our continuing care beds full, our three hospitals are being pressed into service with long-term care clients occupying acute care beds. The wait list for placement is growing.

“In response to this rapidly growing need for additional continuing care beds in Yukon, the Government of Yukon is building a 150-bed facility in the Whistle Bend subdivision of Whitehorse.

“This new facility will have a home-like atmosphere and will provide support and care, 24 hours a day, seven days a week for seniors and others with complex health care needs and/or dementia. These are people who are no longer able to live on their own.

“As the facility is constructed in the new Whistle Bend subdivision, it will become part of the community in the same way that Macaulay Lodge and Copper Ridge Place have become part of their communities.”

Home care continues to be available to help Yukoners live on their own for as long as possible, but there comes a time for many where they can no longer live independently even with home care help, Living said.

Since 2001, the cost of home care in the territory has risen 389 per cent, from $1.54 million in 2001 to the current budget of $5.99 million, with 632 Yukoners accessing those services as of August this year, compared to 251 in 2001.

Ongoing concerns over the size and location of the facility continued to come up at Tuesday’s meeting, Living said.

Critics have called for smaller facilities to be built in multiple locations. Living pointed out the difficulties in finding qualified staff to work at each facility as well as the added cost of building and operating separate smaller facilities.

The government is also facing criticism over the location in Whistle Bend, an area that has only recently opened up and is still largely undeveloped.

Officials looked at locations closer to the downtown area, but, as Living explained, a site suitable for the facility could not be found elsewhere.

The department heard similar concerns when Copper Ridge Place was being planned. At that time, Copper Ridge was not the same established neighbourhood it is now, Living pointed out.

She did acknowledge concerns residents could have a difficult time visiting loved ones at the planned Whistle Bend facility.

In the case of Copper Ridge Place, the territory and city worked to ensure there was a transit route available for those wanting to visit facility residents.

As was the case for Copper Ridge Place, Living said, in Whistle Bend, “the community will grow up around it.”

A number of those who attended this week’s meeting took issue with the location.

Living, however, said there was one attendee that would not want the facility located in the downtown due to the noise in the busy neighbourhood while another attendee said they preferred the Whistle Bend location.

A number also spoke positively about the level of care and staff who work in continuing care around the territory, Living said, noting any issues expressed were focused more on the plans for the facility.

Gail Rushton, the Golden Age Society’s vice-president, said Wednesday there was a lot of information provided at the meeting.

The society has not taken a position for or against the planned care complex, with Rushton noting a deeper look into the project is needed first.

Living said the department is planning to host similar meetings with other stakeholder groups as planning continues.