Pressure Remains On Rest Home Beds In Christchurch

Pressure Remains On Rest Home Beds In Christchurch

More than 500 rest home residents have been relocated since the February 22 quake. This includes 300 who have been transferred out of the region and 200 have been temporarily relocated to other facilities in and around Christchurch.

David Meates Canterbury District Health Board (CDHB) says the decision to move an older person from their ‘home’ was never taken lightly.

“We know how disruptive and unsettling it is for residents to be moved. The circumstances and speed required to ensure the safety of residents meant many families couldn’t be contacted prior to their loved one being moved,” David Meates says.

“This is far from ideal and isn’t our usual process, however, we continue to operate in a national state of emergency, and will do whatever it takes to ensure the safety of vulnerable people in our community.”

CDHB’s director of allied health, Stella Ward says rest home beds in Christchurch remain at a premium.

“There are 600 fewer rest home beds today than there were before the quake. Up until recently, many of the facilities were operating without power, running water or sewerage,” Stella Ward says.

“These utility services are not fully functional in some areas. Other rest homes have suffered serious structural damage and have closed some sections of their facility while another section may remain open.”

Canterbury District Health Board is doing all it can to support rest home owners and managers, she says.

“There are practical things we can do to help with the infrastructure problems and we have also introduced new processes to prioritise access to residential care.

“Residents who are stable can be transferred to rest homes out of Christchurch where we know they will receive good quality care. It’s important we retain some capacity locally to ensure older people being discharged from hospital, or those whose condition has deteriorated since the quake are able to be safely looked after.

The DHB has a team of assessors regularly checking on the health of rest home residents, Stella Ward says.

Kathy Peri, CDHB’s director of nursing for older persons’ health, says rest home managers and staff have gone to incredible lengths to keep their doors open and accommodate additional residents.

“Unfortunately, some of these temporary measures are not sustainable,” Kathy Peri says.

“I am aware of some rest homes where residents have been sharing single-size bedrooms; some rest homes have converted storage rooms to temporary bedrooms, while others have had beds in open corridor areas and set up ward-like arrangements in lounge areas – this is not sustainable long-term.

“Chief executive, David Meates has signalled that unfortunately more rest home residents will have to be moved over the coming weeks and months.

“At this point seven rest homes have been totally evacuated and two have been partially evacuated.”

David Meates says he apologises in advance for the disruption this will cause.

“I know some families are keen to get their loved ones back home to Christchurch, but unfortunately there simply isn’t the capacity here to bring rest home residents back at this stage. It may be months before we are in that position – some rest homes may have to be rebuilt,” David Meates says.

Stella Ward says the weeks since the quake have been a challenging time for all concerned, including the DHB staff who were doing their best for Canterbury’s older people.

“One very positive upshot of this situation is the way individual staff and providers have really gone the extra mile to ensure the safety of residents in their care,” Stella Ward says.

“There are some remarkable stories – even the lengths some people have gone to get to work and care for others when their own home situation has been a disaster zone.”

Numbers in a nutshell:

• More than 300 rest home residents have been relocated out of Christchurch
• An additional 200 residents have been relocated within Canterbury
• Since the quake, there are 600 fewer residential care beds in Canterbury
• Of the remaining aged residential care facilities, ten have serious infrastructure problems and seven have been totally evacuated and two partially evacuated.

ENDS

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