DAVIDSON—There are not enough long-term care beds at Davidson Health Centre to meet the demand.

Since January 2017 a shortage of long-term care beds at Davidson Health Centre has caused a wait list of people seeking placement in Davidson’s health care facility.

As a result, people are residing in facilities far from their home community such as Dinsmore, Lucky Lake and Rosetown. Their names are on a transfer list awaiting a room to open in their community or facility of first choice.

At the end of January 2018 the former heartland health region had 17 clients on the regional transfer list, states LeAnne Paproski, communications coordinator at the Saskatchewan Health Authority’s Rosetown office.

Currently the former heartland health region has enough beds to be able to offer long-term care for anyone who requires it, however, Paproski said, people may not get a bed in their facility/community of choice.

“In the former heartland health region, clients are given options for three locations. If there is no bed available in the first community, we look at availability in any of the other requested communities. They would then go on our transfer list to return to first choice of community,” Paproski said.

Reports from family members are very positive of the care their loved ones are receiving at facilities outside of Davidson. By most accounts their parents are doing well and are content in their new homes.

But they are a long way from home, making it difficult for sons, daughters and grandchildren to regularly visit their family member.

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