Sask. rural community calls for 'creative' solution to long-term care bed closures

Sask. town laments loss of long term care beds WATCH: Residents in Duck Lake are calling for change as nearly a third of the community's long-term care beds are closed.

Nearly a third of long-term beds at a Duck Lake care home are closed, causing growing concern for community members.

Goodwill Manor is at the heart of the community, but it’s recently faced challenges, with seven of its 30 beds sitting empty.

“It’s a vital part of the community. It’s a major employer, and we need this to be maintained,” said Raymond Gauthier, chair of the board for Goodwill Manor.

Gauthier said the home was founded in the 1980s.

“We have one lady, who is 102-years-old, lives a block down the street and can’t get in,” he said.

“She was part of the vision to build this place back in the 80s and now she can’t even use it.”

In September 2022, the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA) told the board there would no longer be a physician to admit and oversee new patients.

Shortly after, Gauthier says a doctor from 100 kilometres away stepped in to help, but it wasn’t sustainable. As of March 2023, no new patients have been admitted.

“Duck Lake has more empty beds than the whole northeast combined,” he said.

The board believes opening the beds would alleviate capacity pressures in the nearby city hospitals, including Prince Albert, Rosthern, and Saskatoon.

“There is a need and a backlog there where we might be able to offset some of that load by accepting folks who qualify for long-term care,” said Steve Adkins, CEO of Goodwill Manor.

The home also serves One Arrow First Nation and Beardy’s and Okemasis’ Cree Nation.

“The fact that there are seven closed beds in this facility is a concern for our ageing population, specifically our elders, and also for those who need respite services,” said Heather Bighead, director of health with Beardy’s and Okemasis.

The closures include the home’s respite bed, which provides temporary relief for a primary caregiver.

In a statement to CTV News, the SHA said it’s working to recruit more physicians to the area.

“The nearby Rosthern group of physicians is currently managing vacancies. Due to capacity issues, only a certain number of beds can be supported with the current physician complement,” the statement said.

The SHA said it anticipates its rural incentive program for doctors, and the broadening scope of practice given to nurse practitioners will eventually help improve the “level of care.”

Meanwhile, the community says something needs to be done soon.

“We know that there are families that are desperate to get their family members closer to home,” said Bonnie Guigon, mayor of Duck Lake.

Gauthier believes one solution might be to require international doctors to work in a nursing home during their pre-licensure assessment.

“I mean the need is there. You got to start being a little more creative,” he said.

“We want to keep the Duck Lake community alive, and we need this home to be a part of that,” said Remi Martin, reeve for the RM of Duck Lake.

CTV News reached out to the Ministry of Health, but did not get a response by publishing time.