Regional care units announced for N.S.
Nova Scotia has announced six sites where long-termcare residents with COVID19 may be transferred.
The regional care unit sites will be in the following facilities:
• Ocean View Continuing Care Centre, Eastern Passage
• Colchester East Hants Health Centre, Truro
• Cape Breton Regional Hospital, Sydney
• St. Martha's Regional Hospital, Antigonish
• Valley Regional Hospital, Kentville
• Yarmouth Regional Hospital, Yarmouth
These units are meant to reduce and manage the spread of COVID-19, the Health Department said in a news release Thursday. They will have dedicated staff for long-term care and will have access to specialized resources like occupational health, and infection prevention and control experts.
The guidelines that will dictate whether a resident will be transferred to these units as opposed to staying in place are still being formulated, the release said.
Nova Scotia has budgeted up to $6.2 million for the regional care units that will be set up in hospitals or nursing homes. Providers who operate large or multiple facilities may also choose to establish the regional care unit model in one of their facilities for their residents, the release said.
"Residents in our continuing care system are some of the most vulnerable when it comes to COVID-19," said Health Minister Leo Glavine in the release. "We have made changes to strengthen how the sector responds to a second wave of the virus and regional care units for nursing home residents who test positive for COVID-19 is one of these measures."
Last spring, 57 of the 65 Nova Scotians who died from COVID-19 were in nursing homes. Fifty-three were residents of Northwood's Halifax campus.
A review blamed staffing shortages, inconsistent cleaning, shared rooms and bathrooms, and limited control of the temperature, humidity and ventilation in the
Northwood outbreak.
Dion Mouland, president and CEO, of Ocean View Continuing Care Centre, said his facility is proud to be part of the COVID-19 regional care program.
"We look forward to continuing to offer exceptional care to our residents and to these new folks who need our support,” he said in the release.
Bethany Mccormick, the Nova Scotia Health Authority's senior director of COVID-19 planning and implementation, said its staff, physicians and facilities "are well equipped to support the care of long-term care residents who test positive for COVID-19."