By Lindsay Kines, Victoria Times Colonist
A Victoria care home for seniors with dementia could be forced to close its doors next year unless it gets more money.
The Kiwanis Pavilion posted a $250,000 deficit last fiscal year, and could be broke by August if nothing is done, executive director Bill Cuthill said.
Cuthill notified staff, residents and family members of the looming financial crisis at a meeting late yesterday afternoon.
The Oak Bay Kiwanis Health Care Society, which owns and operates the pavilion, is searching for ways to save money.
It's also considering a $5-a-day surcharge for its 121 residents, most of whom have some form of dementia.
But if those measures fail, or if the Vancouver Island Health Authority doesn't kick in additional money, the board will have to consider closing the home, Cuthill said.
"It's sort of the last-ditch alternative," he said. "But, at this point in time, our facility will probably run out of cash by August."
Mike Conroy, VIHA's chief operating officer, said closing the pavilion is "not an option" for the health authority.
"One, they're a good care provider and two, we need that service capacity," he said. "I think they may have signalled to the staff and family members a worst-case scenario, but certainly that's not a scenario that we're contemplating."
Cuthill and Conroy both said they're working together, and expressed hope that a review will identify possible solutions. In the meantime, the care home has placed a ban on overtime, eliminated leaves of absence, and cancelled its employee assistance program.
The B.C. Government and Service Employees' Union, which represents workers at the care home, expressed fears yesterday that the facility will fail to honour a three-per-cent pay hike that took effect April 1.
Cuthill, however, said the home is negotiating with VIHA for money to cover the salary increase. "I'm reasonably confident that we'll be able to achieve some sort of arrangement on that," he said.
NDP MLA Rob Fleming, who represents the Victoria-Hillside riding in which the pavilion is located, blamed the ongoing problems on Liberal government neglect.
"They've taken organizations like Oak Bay Kiwanis Pavilion and put them to the breaking point of their ability to operate and provide quality care," he said. "It's crisis management at its worst in our health care system and seniors are the victims of it."
