BC Care Providers Association

New Medical Leave Guidelines Under Review

2012-01-30T19:00:23Z

In November, the Provincial government introduced Bill 14 - which included amendments to the Workers Compensation Amendment Act, 2011. Under the current Act, workers are entitled to compensation for mental stress where it is an acute reaction to a sudden and unexpected traumatic event. In other words, what triggered the stress came from a single traumatic incident.

As proposed, Bill 14 allow for claims for mental stress where the mental stress is "a reaction to (i) one or more traumatic events arising out of and in the course of the worker's employment, or (ii) a significant work-related stressor, or a cumulative series of significant work-related stressors, arising out of and in the course of the worker's employment".

]]> This change would significantly broaden when claims for mental stress would be paid. BC Labour Minister Margaret MacDiarmid has initiated a review of the proposals with various sectors prior to second reading of the Bill. The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) has contacted Minister MacDiarmid about the proposals and been invited to participate in the review. BCCPA CEO Ed Helfrich said, "Without mitigation, the potential costs associated with the new measures that are being proposed may have a significant negative on the ability of care providers to maintain funding levels and quality of care standards."

Feedback on the government proposal is welcome at info@bccare.ca.

Seniors Care Intergenerational Partnerships on the Rise

2012-01-10T04:23:33Z

Staff, volunteers and participants in a groundbreaking intergenerational program being supported by the Williams Lake Seniors Village.

Over the past three years, the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) has been promoting the development of intergenerational projects across the province. There is a growing body of research pointing to the health care and quality of life benefits for both the seniors and the youth participating in these grassroots, community based programs.

In 2008 and 2009, BCCPA worked with educators and care providers across the province to develop a guide for communities interested in developing inter-generational programs. Since then BCCPA has also encouraged the federal government to provide funding to expand these programs through their national New Horizons fund - with success.

A call for proposals was issued last fall and projects across the country are expected to be announced later this year. But care providers and educators are not waiting - and the media is starting to notice.

A national article in the Globe and Mail profiled an innovative program that Invermere's Columbia Garden Valley retirement home has developed that puts a kindergarten in a seniors' home for two days a week. One 84 year old resident in the article said she was surprised the kids wanted to spend time with the seniors but the class's teacher said, "They're just completely accepting of each other. It makes for a million magic moments."

]]> Retirement Concepts has also developed an innovative inter-generational project at their Williams Lake Seniors Village with older students. For four weeks this fall, Grade six and seven Cataline School students attended classes at the Village. The project is based on a similarly successful program that was operated in Vernon a few years ago. Students went to school in the morning and walked to the Williams Lake Seniors Village with their teacher, where they spent the day.

The school principal is a big fan of the program. In an interview with an Williams Lake on-line newsmagazine, Mike Grace said, "When I first heard about this program I thought it was fantastic. Seniors often see negative things about kids when they get in trouble--what a great way to increase empathy and understanding going both ways." Click here for video on the project.

BC Report on Use of Antipsychotic Drugs in Residential Care

2011-12-22T07:13:35Z

New Ministry of Health Report

The Ministry of Health has invited the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) and other leading seniors care stakeholders to provide feedback on a new report regarding the use of anti-psychotic drugs in residential seniors care facilities. BCCPA CEO Ed Helfrich welcomed the report and noted that many BCCPA members have introduced site-specific policies to help reduce the use of these drugs whenever possible. "Seniors care providers are working hard to ensure compliance with all regulations and securing appropriate consent as needed," said Helfrich. "We will be reviewing the report with front-line care providers and preparing a formal response early in the New Year that responds to the report's recommendations and suggests additional measures to protect the health of seniors, care staff and residents. Send us your feedback at info@bccare.ca.

]]> The recommendations in the report are focused on:

education of physicians, facility staff and the public
more inspections and monitoring of practices by Ministry of Health, health authorities and College of Pharmacists
review of section 72(2) of Residential Care regulations (restraints)
improve public understanding of dementia and dementia care

During the course of the preparing the report, the review committee said they learned a number of notable things, including:

older buildings may present unique challenges as they may not typically have single rooms, small pod-like groupings, access to safe outdoor areas, dedicated space for safe wandering and other physical features of newer, purpose built facilities
access to outdoor spaces, single occupancy rooms and innovative scheduling practices are positive strategies that should be more broadly applied
current staffing ratios in care facilities were thought to be insufficient by most stakeholders

"While the report is comprehensive, it is described as a first step," added Helfrich. "In addition to excluding many residential care facilities that operate under the Hospital Act, the report does not capture the rate-of-use of anti-psychotic drugs on seniors waiting in acute care hospitals for placement to community care. Future efforts to reduce the use of anti-psychotic drugs in these other care settings should be included in the next phase of our discussions with the Ministry as some residential care providers have expressed concern about the dependence of seniors' on anti-psychotic drugs when they arrive from an extended stay in the hospital."

Last week, BCCPA released their updated 2011 Action Plan that included a list of recommendations to improve the quality, efficiency and transparency of BC's seniors; care system. A number of the ideas being proposed have the potential to help reduce the use of anti-psychotic drugs in residential care, including efforts to:

reduce time seniors wait in hospital
expand use of nurse practitioners in residential care
enhance role of Family Councils
return all new client user fees to increase staffing levels
standardized family satisfaction surveys

BC Care Providers Association Update Action Plan: Proposals to Improve Quality and Efficiency of Seniors Care in BC

2011-12-05T20:16:56Z

The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) today released a series of proposals to provincial and regional health authorities aimed at improving the quality, transparency and efficiency of the BC seniors' care system. The submission follows recent media reports and BC Legislature debates regarding challenges facing care providers, seniors and their families. It also represents an update to the comprehensive Action Plan BCCPA submitted to the government in 2009.

"Our members are very committed to ensure BC seniors in residential care and home support receive the best quality of care possible," said BCCPA President Mary McDougall. "In addition to building on positive patient satisfaction survey results for residential care, these proposals reflect ideas from front-line care providers and advance specific strategies to further improve the quality of care seniors in BC deserve".

]]> The BCCPA quality and efficiency proposals include:

Wait Times: Establishment of a maximum time for seniors to wait in hospitals for community residential care or home support services
Prevent Elder Abuse: Improve the BC Care Aide Registry to better protect seniors
Standardize Reporting: Patient satisfaction surveys across BC for residential care should be improved and based on Fraser Health Authority model
Disclosure: Release complete funding levels for residential care facilities in BC - including health authority operated sites
User Fees: Ensure 100% of new BC user fees for seniors are reinvested in residential care and to improve staffing levels across the province
Red-Tape: Simplify and improve multi-levels of reporting, licensing, accreditation, quality assurance and inter-RAI MDS processes
Value for Taxpayers: Strengthen effectiveness and fairness of public tendering process for new residential care beds to ensure maximum value for taxpayers
Human Resources: Promote the use of nurse practitioners in seniors residential care facilities and best practices to improve retention of care aides
Family Councils: Enhance the use of resident/family councils to improve communication at facilities and quality of care

"In addition to ongoing government investment, the quality of our seniors care system depends on our ability to collaborate and innovate," said BCCPA CEO Ed Helfrich. "We look forward to working in the coming year with the Minister and health authorities across the province to strengthen our seniors care partnership and address oncoming challenges associated with the aging of our society."

BCCPA officials will be following up with the Minister, MLAs and health care leaders in the coming days to arrange meetings and follow-up on the proposals with a view to implementing many of these ideas in 2012.

New Care Quarterly This Week

2011-11-29T14:58:50Z

click to download the BCCPA Fall 2011 Newsletter

BC Care Providers Release Draft Guide to Resident/Family Councils for Seniors' Care

2011-11-07T19:07:57Z

The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) has released a draft guide specifically developed to help residential seniors' care providers to facilitate the establishment of a Resident/Family Council in their home or support the momentum of an existing Council.

The draft Family Council Guide reflects an increasing focus on facilitating communication between care providers, residents and families. Establishing and maintaining a Council will not only meet the requirements of the BC Community Care Regulation, but also respond to recommendations made by the BC Ombudsperson in her December 2009 report, The Best of Care: Getting it right for Seniors in British Columbia (part 1).

]]> The process of developing this guide included consultation with seniors care providers across the province as well as review of current thought-leadership material developed by stakeholders in the BC health care community. Members shared best practices and experiences gained in the operation of their Council and these are incorporated throughout this Guide. A final draft will be released in the coming weeks following feedback from providers on the current draft.

Kudos deserved for community health workers

2011-10-18T05:14:59Z

Home-support programs succeed thanks to a dedicated workforce

By Isobel MacKenzie, Times Colonist

A number of professions contribute to an effective and sustainable health-care system. Doctors, nurses, pharmacists and therapists have all been acknowledged for years as vital to maintaining a healthy society.

However, over the past 20 years, "health care" has expanded from the doctor's office and hospital to the home. With this move has come an increase in client centred care and the evolution of a new health-care provider - the community health worker, also known as a home-support worker.

]]> Finally, they will achieve what has long been their due as the government proclaims Oct. 18 Health Care Assistant Day, offering recognition of these workers as equal members of the health-care team.

In the capital region, we are fortunate to have one of the most robust home-support programs in Canada. British Columbia offers more government-funded home support than any other province - up to 120 hours a month, compared with 60 hours in Ontario.

The Vancouver Island Health Authority further enhances this in the capital region with the Quick Response Team program, setting up home supports within two hours as well as authorizing overnight and live-in service.

I am the B.C. representative to the Canadian Homecare Association and I see the variety of home-care programs across the country. The level of commitment to providing clients with the care they need in their homes that we have with the Vancouver Island Health Authority is not seen elsewhere in Canada.

None of these programs would matter, however, if we did not have a small army of trained women and men (1,200 in the South Island alone) travelling each day to sometimes eight or nine clients. The work starts as early as a 6: 30 a.m. and can run as late as 11 p.m. As well, there are the dedicated souls who stay overnight or "live-in" for three or four shifts with our most frail clients, often those who are palliative.

Community health workers have no staff room where they can grab a cup of coffee and talk to coworkers about recent vacations. Instead, they drive from client to client, through all kinds of weather, 365 days a year.

On a typical day in the capital region, more than 700 community health workers are on the road. They travel, collectively, 7,000 kilometres and visit 3,000 clients.

Throughout the day, the health worker will help clients with bathing or dressing, exercises, toileting, medications, meal preparation and, for some clients, the household chores of laundry and cleaning.

Some clients will be like family and the worker will have been providing their care for many years. Others will be new and the worker may only be there for one visit. In every case, these dedicated front-line staff try to give highly personalized care taking into account the client's likes and dislikes. Each home is a new workplace, with new obstacles to learn and navigate.

Every day brings challenges - trying to get to multiple clients on time, coping with the frustrations of new clients, keeping up with people's changing needs, understanding and reporting urgent situations.

Often the community home worker will be the only person the client sees that day, or for several days. Family members and other health care providers depend on the workers to observe and report changes in the client's behaviour or condition. When we look at the magnitude of what gets accomplished in home support every day, we realize what a magnificent job our community health workers are doing. They are helping more than 3,800 people remain in their homes, functioning with dignity and independence.

Beacon Community Services is proud to support our community health workers. We applaud the government in recognizing their work with the proclamation for Oct. 18, but we know that every day is Health Care Assistant Day for the thousands of frail, chronically ill and palliative in our community who know the community health workers are their lifelines.

Isobel Mackenzie is CEO of Beacon Community Services, a non-profit that delivers home support to clients on the South Island in partnership with VIHA.

Health Care Assistant Day October 18 - Innovative Scheduling Projects Announced to Improve Labour Retention

2011-10-18T05:02:42Z

The BC Government has proclaimed Tuesday as Health Care Assistant Day in British Columbia. The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) is encouraging its member to take a moment to recognize and celebrate the work of care aides and home support workers. Creating a recognition day for care aides and home support workers was recommended in the human resources strategy BCCPA released earlier this year with our project committee.

BCCPA is proud to be marking Health Care Assistant Day with the BC Care Aide Registry and our partners on our human resources committee - including the BC Government Employees Union, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Jobs, Innovation and Tourism, Health Care Employees Union, Vancouver Community College and Health Employers Association of BC. Each of our organizations has made a commitment to celebrate on Tuesday through a variety of measures include public awareness, advertising, on-site celebrations and professional development.

To mark Health Care Assistant Day, the project committee is also supporting two innovative scheduling initiatives to increase retention of health care assistants and reduce staff turnover. The two projects being funded by the provincial government are:

Responsive Shift Scheduling (RSS) in Residential Care - RSS is matching resident needs with staff scheduling preferences. It promotes staff and mangers working together to develop a creative schedule that meets resident needs and balances the multiple interests of staff. RSS was successfully piloted in six Health Authority-operated residential care facilities and now we will be piloting RSS at a number of affiliate facilities across the province as well.
Expanding Cluster Care in Home Support - Based on a comprehensive labour market analysis we initiated last year, retention of home care aides was identified as the most significant human resources challenge facing our sector. In response, we have been working with home support providers in Metro Vancouver to develop a pilot project that will expand the use of "cluster care" and apply responsive shift scheduling techniques.

]]> In addition to these innovative scheduling projects, the Committee has also sponsored special Socio-Cultural Competency Training sessions with Vancouver Community College to help teach work place based, cultural context communication skills to seniors care managers to strengthen their relationship with new Canadians finding employment in seniors care.

National Seniors Day - October 1, 2011

2011-10-01T22:55:25Z

BC Care Providers Association Board Member Elaine Price, RN with federal Minister of Seniors Alice Wong following a community roundtable meeting in June.

Today is the first National Seniors Day in Canada - and International Day of Older Persons. The BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) marked the occasion by representing seniors care providers at a special event in Richmond with the Hon. Alice Wong, Minister of State for Seniors. BCCPA CEO Ed Helfrich said, "This national day is an opportunity for all of us to recognize a great generation of Canadians and the important role seniors play in communities across the country." Minister Wong said, "National Seniors Day is an occasion for all Canadians to appreciate and celebrate seniors. Canada's seniors dedicated their lives to our country -- they deserve our thanks as they continue to be influential mentors and leaders in our communities."

190 New Residential Care Beds Coming to Interior

2011-09-13T17:16:43Z

Mary McDougall, Buron Health Care

The Interior Health Authority has announced tender awards for the construction of 66 new residential care beds in Penticton and 125 in Kamloops. Buron Healthcare was selected as the care provider in each location. Mary McDougall of Buron Healthcare said, "We enjoy a good working relationship with Interior Health. We're looking forward to this opportunity to continue providing quality care to seniors living in the South Okanagan."

Construction of the 66 new beds in Penticton will begin next month at the existing Haven Hill Retirement Centre location. The 125 new beds in Kamloops are planned for a location on Tranquille Road on land currently owned by Interior Health. Pending the land sale and requisite permits and rezoning, construction will begin this spring with estimated completion early in 2013.

]]> Penticton MLA Bill Barisoff said, "We have a growing and aging population in the South Okanagan. The addition of 66 new residential care beds will help take some of the pressure off our hospital."

Kamloops-North Thompson MLA Terry Lake echoed Mr. Barisoff's remarks. "Our government is committed to providing a range of health services to seniors, including residential care. Not only will creation of these new beds help Kamloops seniors to age in place in their home community, but their development will help ease pressure in the hospital."

Interior Health awards contract for Central Okanagan residential care beds

2011-08-29T22:35:58Z

The building of 100 publicly funded residential care beds in the Central Okanagan has moved forward with the signing of a contract with Baltic Properties Group, Interior Health announced today.

Will McKay, Managing Partner, Baltic Properties Group

"These new residential care beds will be built in Westbank town centre," said Westside-Kelowna MLA Ben Stewart. "This is a significant investment in our community and the new facility will help keep more people who require complex care in an appropriate setting and free up acute care beds in local hospitals."

Residential beds provide 24/7 care and support for adults and seniors with complex health-care needs who require 24-hour professional care. Proposals were received from eight proponents for the design, construction and operation of the new beds. After careful evaluation, Baltic Properties Group emerged as the successful proponent.

"With this announcement we're continuing to move forward on our commitment to provide appropriate levels of care in the best possible settings for those who can no longer remain in their own homes," said Norman Embree, IH Board Chair. "100 new beds is a noteworthy increase for the Central Okanagan."

]]> Over the past decade Baltic Properties Group have designed, developed and commissioned five seniors-oriented health care and housing complexes in British Columbia. These facilities include supportive housing, assisted living, complex residential care services, hospice/palliative care services, as well as bariatric, respite and community outreach programs in Osoyoos, Lake Country, Kamloops, Chilliwack and Surrey.

"We have a strong record of experience in delivering complex care services," said Will McKay, managing partner, Baltic Properties Group. "We're looking forward to providing this new campus of care in West Kelowna where we can continue delivering the same high level service as in our other facilities." Work on the new facility, which will be located on Butt Road, is expected to begin in October 2011with estimated completion in January 2013.

The 100 beds are part of 527 residential care beds announced by Interior Health last December. The new units are needed to meet the growing needs of an aging population.

BC Responds to Recommendation for Appreciation Day to Celebrate Seniors Care Workers

2011-08-04T04:38:58Z

One of more than 20 recommendations in the seniors care human resources strategy that was released earlier this year by the BC Care Providers Association was to develop and launch a provincial appreciation day for seniors care workers. We are pleased to report that the government has listened and responded. Earlier this month, the BC Care Aide Registry and the provincial government confirmed plans to mark October 18, 2011 as Health Care Assistant Day in BC. See the Proclamation here.

]]> BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) CEO Ed Helfrich said, "This day will be an opportunity for all employers, unions and educational institutes training care aides and home support workers to recognize the important contribution the very important workers make to improve the lives of seniors every day." More details on activities to mark the day will be announced in the coming weeks. The BCCPA Seniors Care Human Resources Committee is continuing to work through and implement recommendations of the spring report in partnership with care providers, the provincial government, education partners, health authorities and union leadership.

BCCPA Spring-Summer 2011 Newsletter

2011-07-30T05:48:13Z

click to download the BCCPA Spring-Summer 2011 Newsletter

13th Meeting of Federal, Provincial and Territorial (F/P/T) Ministers Responsible for Seniors

2011-07-28T05:53:36Z

Federal, Provincial and Territorial (F/P/T) Ministers Responsible for Seniors agreed to focus on four priorities by working with their respective provincial, territorial and federal colleagues. These priorities are: championing innovative responses to the needs of seniors in the areas of living arrangements and housing, and transportation; identifying and helping to prevent elder abuse, especially financial abuse; promoting active participation in the community through employment or volunteering; and improving access to government services and benefits.

The Ministers tasked senior officials to advance work on these priorities and report back to them.

]]> The Ministers shared their respective best practices to address the opportunities and challenges of an aging population. They also agreed to take leadership to support the well-being of Canada's seniors, and agreed on future priorities to guide their work.

"I welcome the opportunity to meet for the first time with my provincial and territorial colleagues," said the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors) and federal co-chair of the meeting. "These discussions contribute to our efforts to both anticipate and respond to the evolving needs of an aging society."

"I am honoured to have hosted and co-chaired this year's meeting of federal, provincial and territorial ministers responsible for seniors in Hamilton, Ontario," said Sophia Aggelonitis, Minister Responsible for Seniors for the Province of Ontario. "It has been a very productive meeting and I look forward to continuing to work with my colleagues across the country to help ensure that our seniors are able to remain healthy, active and safe in their communities."

Ministers reviewed research on housing and support services that help seniors to age in the place of their choice and within age-friendly communities. They also discussed their shared concern regarding all forms of elder abuse, and agreed on the importance of addressing this issue. Their talks centred on the prevention of financial abuse, one of the most commonly reported forms of elder abuse.

Seniors make up a growing proportion of our population. In fact, the first of the baby boomers turn 65 this year and, in 25 years, nearly one in four Canadians will be a senior. With this demographic shift in mind, the Ministers looked at the range of perceptions, values and needs among seniors and near-seniors.

More info: http://news.gc.ca/web/article-eng.do?nid=608739

Tribute: Michael Ahmon (1945 - 2011)

2011-07-26T20:28:21Z

Michael Ahmon at Annual BC Care Providers Association Conference in 2007

It was with great sadness the BC Care Providers Association learned last week of the sudden passing of Michael Ahmon on the early hours of July 19th with family by his side after a brief but courageous battle with cancer. Michael is painfully missed. He will always be loved and remembered by his beloved wife Zuilan Betty, parents Bo Chim and Allen, son Nicholas (Jane), daughter Jessica and grandsons Matthew and Christopher. Survived by sister Jennifer (Ken), brothers Lawrence, Stephen (Lila) and Kevin (Betty).

Michael was one of the best known seniors care providers in the province. He served in the past on the BC Care Providers Association Board of Directors - most recently in 2008-2009.

]]> Family, friends and colleagues are invited to a visitation on Wednesday, July 27th at the Chapel of Forest Lawn Funeral Home from 5:00 - 7:00 pm at 3789 Royal Oak Avenue, Burnaby and a Celebration of Life on Saturday July 30th at the Northview Golf and Country Club, 6857 - 168th Street, Surrey, 1:00 - 4:00 pm. A Private Funeral Service will take place on Thursday July 28 at the Chapel of Forest Lawn Funeral Home at 10:30 am

In lieu of flowers donations in memory of Michael may be made to the Liver Foundation or the BC Cancer Agency. Condolences may be offered at www.forestlawn-burnaby.com.