A Tsunami of Seniors: Full House for Nursing Home Facts (full audio)

Every seat, every square inch of standing room, was occupied at the MAEA this afternoon to hear facts about the need for more nursing home beds in Miramichi. The event was organized by Dr. Gerard Losier. The venue was donated by the Miramichi Agricultural Exhibition, and the sound services were donated by Irving Keyboard.

Six people were asked to make presentations, including Dr. Gerard Losier. On every second seat at the presentation was the agenda for the session, along with a copy of the government’s report on demographics for the 2011-2016 Nursing Home Renovation and Replacement Plan. Losier referred to growing senior poulation in Miramichi as a "Tsunami of Seniors"

This story features Mayor Gerry Cormier, Marilyn Underhill (Mirmaichi Hospital CEO), Ray Arsenault (Evangelical Ministry of Miramichi), and Dr. Eugene Mah (Director of Emergenncy Room Services). Subsequent stories will feature comments of Dr. Losier, Bill Fraser and Jake Stewart.

The government plan estimates that in 2021 Miramichi will require an additional 88 nursing home beds. Currently between Mount St. Joseph and the Miramichi Senior Citizens Home, there are 214 beds. Add 88 to that, and that's the reason Losier has been pushing for 300 beds in Miramichi. Losier's preference is not an expansion of current facilities, but a new facility.

Regional New Bed Projections by 2021
Region 1 - Moncton 315
Region 2 - Saint John 202
Region 3 - Fredericton 265
Region 4 - Edmundston 13
Region 5 - Restigouche 57
Region 6 - Chaleur 122
Region 7 - Miramichi 88
Region 8 - Acadian Peninsula 0
Total 1062

City Council recently passed a motion to support the construction of a new 260 bed facility, but of course, they would be happy with 300 beds if that's what is decided upon, he said after the session.

Judy Losier: The Dr's wife was the moderator for the session, and before introducing the first speaker, Judy gave the stories of 5 people who passed away the Miramichi hospital after they had been approved for nursing home beds, but before one had become available. The 5 people had waited between 208 and 307 days before dying in hospital.

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[caption id="attachment_32604" align="alignleft" width="200"] Marilyn Underhill - CEO Miramichi Hospital[/caption]Marilyn Underhill, CEO Region 7 Hospital: Underhill came to the session armed with facts and figures. She told the crowd that the Miramichi Hospital had 147 in-patient beds, but averaged 164 patients. The number of patients in the hospital has risen as high as 192 at times. She also dropped another statistic: Since 2011, the wait time for approved nursing home patients to get a bed has increased from 90 days to 9 months.

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[caption id="attachment_32605" align="alignleft" width="200"] Ray Arsenault, Evangelical Ministry of Miramichi[/caption]Ray Arsenault: Arsenault is the Secretary of the Evangelical Ministerial Association of Miramichi. His group has been vocal about the need for nursing home beds, and he told the story of a group of people who were so moved by the lonesome seniors they met at the hospital when they were Christmas Carolling. Arsenault moved to Miramichi to look after his aging parents, and has taken up the fight for a new nursing home, and was present at the session in a ministerial capacity. He is also offering for city council in tomorrow's by-election.

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[caption id="attachment_32606" align="alignleft" width="200"] Dr. Eugene Mah - Director of Emergency Room Services[/caption]Dr. Eugene Mah, Director of Emergency Room Services: Mah said that problems usually roll downhill, and he gave an overview of how the shortage of nursing home beds effects employees and emergency room visitors are effected. Mah said the shortage of nursing home beds leads to a shortage of acute care beds, boarding of patients in the emergency departments, and also the cancellation of surgeries. Patients boarded in the emergency department also have more complications than patients who are not boarded there, and says patients being boarded there have no privacy, hard beds, and trouble sleeping in a busy department. Also, specialty rooms are often taken up by ALC patients, and the time it takes for people to have stitches or exams takes longer, and doctors and staff get blamed for the delays.

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Mayor Gerry Cormier: Cormier said he and some councillors had the opportunity to visit the hospital accompanied by Dr. Losier. He said they were all struck by the lack of privacy patient's endure because of the bed shortage. Council has since passed a motion recommending a new 260 bed nursing home in Miramichi. Cormier also read a letter from MP Tilly O'Neill to Cathy Rogers, Minister of Social Development.