Meadowlark invites community to learn more

Times Reporter  

 

Meadowlark Seniors Care Homes invited the community into their home on April 4 so people could find out more about the home. Debbie Wakelam, owner/operator of the home, was happy to see MLA Jason Hale in attendance so that she could bend his ear a little about what she offers, and some concerns about the industry.  

One of the biggest reasons Wakelam had guests to the home was so they could see the family atmosphere that her residents have. During the time Hale was there one resident became a little upset, and instead of the staff rushing to her side – they were in the same room, close by – a fellow resident helped calm the woman down. 

“I was very impressed with the facility. It was really interesting talking with the seniors that live there and they love it, it is like a family, it’s a family atmosphere, they help each other, they console each other, they are great friends and it is a really, really neat opportunity for seniors to live in that type of environment if they so chose,” said Hale. 

Wakelam showed Hale the 32 standards that all care facilities have to follow, and then brought up the Supportive Living guidelines and regulations that the government had created.

“All supportive living accommodations must be licensed when we provide permanent accommodation for four or more adults,” said Wakelam. 

‘I don’t agree with that.”

Wakelam said seniors are a vulnerable group and she thinks if you charge any senior, that isn’t a parent or family member, then you should have to be licensed. Otherwise you could fly under the radar, take in only three seniors, feed them mac and cheese every day and never be questioned. 

As a supportive living facility, you have to comply with the licensing regulations, and there are annual site inspections for seniors lodges, group homes and supportive living accommodations.  Supportive living means the accommodation – the senior’s room – the meals and housekeeping are covered in the rates charged.  

“If you’re a private supportive living operator then the cost for additional services like getting people dressed, bathing people, all those extra services, we charge for,” said Wakelam.

“If you go into publicly funded health, or personal care homes, which can get contracts in the city, then that is paid for by the government.” 

When a facility is contracted with the government, then the government sets the price for accommodation. Because she is private she can charge more, or less. One of Wakelam’s biggest questions is about the contract that was given to Sagewood by the government, but she was told because she is rural she can’t get it. The main difference between the two is size of their buildings; otherwise they offer supportive living care under the same Alberta Health guidelines.  

“The main reason I would want the funding … is because then I could provide services to low income people,” said Wakelam.

Being privately run means that her residents have to be able to afford the care. If she was contracted, she could open another home, and the government would set the rate for the residents and then would fund the rest. 

When she asked about the contract she was told by the government that they are not contracting care homes.

Wakelam would like to see some sort of funding program in place that can help her when purchasing a new home or adding to a home. 

Homecare will come in and assess a senior, and say if they need support, but after assessment homecare doesn’t recognize a private living facility as a place for the senior to move on to which is something she doesn’t think is right. If she was contracted, they would have no choice but to list her as an option.

Hale said he will be looking into why Wakelam is not able to get the same funding as other supportive living facilities in the area.