Regina Lutheran Home families want care home kept open until province builds new facility

Families venting about RLH closure WATCH: Families vented at the legislature over the province’s decision to close Regina Lutheran Home. Wayne Mantyka reports.

Families impacted by the planned closure of the Regina Lutheran Home went to the legislature on Wednesday to fight the move.

They feel the province should keep the care home open until a new government-owned care home is built.

“Is it possible, at all possible that SHA (Saskatchewan Health Authority), our government would subsidize the Regina Lutheran Home until they have a new place,” family member Joyce Hextall said.

The government recently announced plans for a new nursing home across from Sask. Polytech, but it could take five years to build. The government also isn’t interested in assuming the operation of Regina Lutheran Home from its owner.

“This isn’t a facility that is government-owned or SHA-owned so the assessment was made by officials at SHA to deem whether or not the facility was viable to continue and it was decided that it’s not,” Minister Responsible for Seniors Tim McLeod said.

Earlier this year, the government purchased five nursing homes from Extendicare in Regina, Saskatoon and Moose Jaw.

“Which are all relatively similar ages to the Lutheran Home. I’ve been looking around and checking and they are very similar ages so I don’t understand that,” family member Lorraine Simpson said.

The Saskatchewan NDP says it doesn’t make sense.

“What is different in this situation than in the four Extendicare homes that the government took over,” NDP MLA Matt Love said. “Those homes were old, those homes were housing four residents to a room.”According to Love, the Extendicare homes also had narrow hallways and other issues that would not be standard in facilities built today.

“Yet the government found it fitting to take over those facilities to keep those seniors living in their home so why can’t they do that here,” Love said.

The long-term viability of the former Regina Extendicare nursing homes could also be questioned but the government couldn’t say whether they will remain open once construction of the new government nursing home has been completed.