BONNYVILLE – Serving the needs of Lakeland seniors and finding ways to use underutilized spaces – that is what the board of Lakeland Lodging and Housing is trying to accomplish at the Bonnylodge with some help from Alberta Health Services (AHS).
There are about 28 units that are sitting empty at the Bonnylodge, acknowledged Chris Vining, the chair of Lakeland Lodging and Housing, and a City of Cold Lake councillor.
Since the expansion of the lodge, the high vacancy rate is creating financial pressures felt by the foundation tasked with running the facility.
“We are trying to figure out how to best utilize that space, and how we can put that to work for seniors. So, one of the ideas that we are exploring right now is working with AHS and its seniors [division] to create another level of care that is not currently involved in the lodge.”
The foundation is hoping to facilitate Designated Supportive Living level 4 (DSL4) care at its Bonnyville location. “The level of care is kind of between lodge and long-term care,” explained Vining.
Introducing DLS4 care at the Bonnylodge would require more nursing, health care aides and support staff, as well as funding commitment from AHS.
“We are just at the planning stage right now. We have had a couple of conversations with folks at AHS, looked a little bit at the layout of the lodge and how we might be able to fit that together,” he said.
“There are a few things to work out, but we are hopeful that we will get somewhere with it and that we can put those spaces to use because we know the need is there. It's just a matter of figuring out whether or not we can make the logistics work.”
Gap in level of care
In regard to the level of care that some seniors require, there is a bit of a gap in the Lakeland, noted Vining.
As the needs of residents living in lodges grow beyond the capacity of a lodge, those individuals must either move back in with family, into long-term care at Bonnyville hospital’s Long Term Care unit or Extendicare. But, if DSL4 care could be provided at the Bonnylodge, residents may be able to stay in a space they feel comfortable in for longer.
“We are trying hard to keep folks at the lodge for as long as it's feasible,” continued Vining. The idea is referred to as Campus of Care.
“If they just can't handle a single-family home anymore, then they are able to move them into a senior's apartment, but they are still living independently making their own meals. As that moves along, then a lodge is probably a better option for them to be able to get the services they have there. So, it really allows them to age in place better and not to have these big disruptions and having to relocate all the time,” stated Vining.
There are some Lakeland Lodge and Housing clients that could benefit from DSL4 care right now, but with the crunch for higher level care, seniors may be relying on other programs such as home care assistance.
A DSL4 agreement could also reduce pressures on hospitals that provide long-term care.
“It certainly would be helpful in the sense that we wouldn't be moving people to DSL5 care sooner than they would need to go. We would hope that would help take some pressure off long-term care,” he said, adding “these are rooms can be used for residents across the Lakeland too.”
Bonnylodge on COVID outbreak status
The Bonnylodge is under a COVID outbreak status, confirmed Vining, last week.
“I am not able to provide the exact number because of course it changes day to day as people are coming off the list and as testing is being completed. But yes, it’s still in an outbreak status at Bonnylodge.”
According to an AHS Guide for Outbreak Prevention and Control in Long Term Care, Designated Supportive Living and Hospice Sites, the definition of a COVD outbreak is “Two or more confirmed COVID-19 cases in residents within a seven-day period, with a common epidemiological link.”
“The folks from AHS have been coming around to retest everybody,” said Vining. “We have had a couple residents that have had to go to hospital, but for the most part the outbreak has been well contained and symptoms have been fairly mild.”
AHS COVID protocol still requires any supportive living patient with symptoms, or who has tested positive for COVID-19, to be isolated and treated in designated rooms.
An Acute Care Outbreaks in Alberta list updated weekly by AHS shows that in the North Zone, one unit in St. Therese-St. Paul Healthcare Centre has been declared on COVID outbreak since March 1.
“Ten individuals have tested positive for COVID-19,” according to the provincial health organization on March 29.
