Menno Place – Staff Shortage – Karen Biggs, CEO on CityNews TV

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Karen Biggs, Menno Place CEO speaks to Ashley Burr of City News Vancouver about the staff shortage that we face since the Single Site order in March, 2020. Click to go to the Twitter page with the CityNews video.

Summary:

  • Care homes in BC are suffering major staff shortage
  • 675 staff at Menno Place – lost 39 casuals when we went Single Site only – Menno Place has vacant positions
  • The single site order ensures that staff do not work at other care homes and thereby increase the risk of infection throughout the care home sector
  • Menno Place, like all care homes, is working “short” every week and this is a risk as there is nobody to cover a shift for staff who are sick or on vacation

“When you don’t have staff available (and there is a COVID-19 positive case), care can deteriorate very quickly.” – Karen Biggs

  • The highest risk is that care can deteriorate rapidly if there aren’t enough staff available and a positive case of COVID-19 occurs in a care home.
  • Care homes are looking to the hospitality industry to hire housekeepers and dietary staff – finding ways of taking out-of-work Canadians and putting them into valuable employment