By GERRY BELLETT, Vancouver Sun
The B.C. Care Provider Association is asking the provincial government to implement training programs to help its 10,000 employees deal with potentially difficult or violent clients.
A resolution calling for the government to develop more effective admission and eviction procedures for people in assisted living facilities was approved by the association at its recent 2010 Annual General Meeting in Whistler.
The association's concerns come at a time when a former resident of the Good Samaritan Canada Christenson Village in Gibsons is on trial for three counts of attempted murder after allegedly shooting the facilities manager as he and three other staff attempted to evict her on March 31, 2009.
The trial of Linda Lorraine Howe is set to resume in B.C. Supreme Court Sept. 10.
Howe was in turn shot by the RCMP in a car she allegedly hijacked at gunpoint following an armed standoff with officers.
Ed Helfrick, CEO of the B.C. Care Providers Association, said staff in care facilities are facing increasing problems dealing with difficult residents or those with dementia.
"We're having a lot more incidents which impact both residents and our employees," Helfrick said.
He said the association was hoping the government would provide better training for employees.
"We need more specific training for dealing with persons with mental health problems. It's a safety issue," said Helfrick.
