Call public inquiry into long-term care

The CEO of the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), Scott Livingstone, says infection practices, PPE policies, low staffing levels and four-bed wards “may have contributed to the massive spread of COVID-19” at Regina's Extendicare Parkside.

He said the SHA is now reviewing how the province's 150 long-term care homes might be “potentially higher risk” because of multiple bedrooms, aging infrastructure, poor ventilation, and “breakdowns or challenges with … infection control practices.”

Livingstone could easily have referred to the SHA'S own Long-term Quality Care Assessments that identified these problems years ago. Rather than standing up for seniors and workers, Livingstone appears incredulous about the situation, carelessly downplaying the danger.

There were lessons to be learned from the coronavirus ravaging care homes and killing thousands in Ontario and Quebec during the first wave of the pandemic.

Saskatchewan had months to be ready for the inevitable, yet remained ill-prepared.

Extendicare, Canada's largest operator of for-profit care homes including Parkside, has received more than $100 million from federal and provincial governments in COVID-19 aid, while paying dividends of $30.5 million to investors so far this year.

They, along with the SHA, have known about the problems at Parkside for years and done little to improve the situation for staff and residents.

Something is very wrong here.

Saskatchewan needs a public inquiry.

Richard Ast, Regina