Caregivers, families target UCP over privatization of care services
Family members of developmentally disabled Calgarians and their caregivers took their opposition to privatizing their facility to a UCP minister’s office Friday.
Members of the Alberta Union of Provincial Employees and family members of the residents they care for say the UCP government’s plans to shift their oversight to private operators put their welfare at risk, at a time of pandemic uncertainty.
“My brother is medically fragile and needs consistency and he’s been well-supported during COVID -19,” said Shelleyanne Dixon.
“How can you cut care for fragile people without knowing them … I can’t imagine him losing the staff he loves.”
Her brother Jason Barnes, 48, has cerebral palsy and is also dealing with the effects of a stroke while a resident of Scenic Bow Place in the city’s northwest.
Dixon said her autistic son’s privatized services are a minefield of audits, out-of-pocket costs and waiting lists and make her fear for her brother’s fate.
She was one of about a dozen guardians and union members who tried to deliver a petition containing 3,000 signatures to the northeast Calgary office of Community and Social Services Minister Rajan Sawhney, to show their opposition to proposed changes at several rehabilitation facilities in Calgary and Edmonton.
But nobody opened the office’s locked door, leaving the group with the hope they could deliver the petition next week.
Another in the group was Pamela Bloomer, who said her sister Merilee Locken, 60, would also be affected by the privatization of Scenic Bow Place.
“They take very good care of her and I don’t want to lose that,” said Bloomer, adding she fears having to move her sister to another location.
“She can’t talk or feed herself; she can’t do anything for herself.”
Family members say loved ones who’ve called the facility home for decades view their caregivers as family members.
The AUPE said on June 10 about 200 developmentally challenged residents, their guardians and 300 staff were given 90 days’ notice of “alternative service delivery” but have had no meaningful consultation about what that’ll mean.
They’ve been told the move is meant to save taxpayers $3.5 million, said AUPE vice-president Kevin Barry.
“It seems to be such an ideological decision rather than one to save money,” said Barry.
“At a time during a pandemic, it seems extraordinarily cruel to be doing this ... These folks are some of the most vulnerable people in the province.”
The union and families, he said, fear the quality of care will suffer when it moves to a profit-making model. Barry said there are no guarantees the current staff will be kept on at the facilities where they provide 24-hour care.
The government is merely seeking to bring the facilities in line with the type of delivery used by the vast majority of longer-term care.
“Ninety per cent of residential and personal care services in the province are already provided by contracted community-based organizations,” Community and Social Service spokeswoman Diane Carter said in a statement.
“We are exploring whether similar services in Edmonton and Calgary should be aligned with the residential and personal care model used throughout the rest of the province.”
She said the safety and well-being of those residents remain a priority and that any changes made will be done after proper consultation.
“No program changes have been made, and operations remain consistent for clients and staff,” said Carter. “Individuals, staff, families and guardians of people with disabilities are being consulted to obtain their input and feedback.”
Last year, a series of forums on persons with developmental disabilities policy conducted by the UCP government came under fire from the NDP, which accused it of failing to address realities like underfunding, low staff pay and shortages of training and affordable housing.