Announcement of Adult Day/Respite Care program at Queens County Home Support. Photo QCCR staff

Two months after it was announced, a program designed to provide desperately needed relief to caregivers has yet to launch.

On Feb 13 an event held by the Queens Home Care Society to celebrate the new Adult Day/Respite Care program was attended by Minister of Seniors and Long Term Care Barbara Adams, Kim Masland, the MLA for Queens/Minister of Public Works, Board Chair of Queens Home for Special Care Society Christopher Clarke and Albert Doucet Chair of Queens General Hospital Foundation.

The program was to begin two weeks later in a newly renovated location at 266 Main Street in Liverpool.

The province invested $500,000 in the program but two months on, the Region of Queens is being blamed for not issuing building permits.

Building owner Jerry Thibault says the trouble started when he began renovating the space in September of 2022.

“As soon as you get your framing up you call for a framing inspection, it’s the first inspection you do. So, I called them, and I said I need a framing inspection before I put my gyprock on and I was told I don’t have a building permit. I said yeah, I got it here in my hand and they said, well bring it up and will take a look. So, I took it up and they said no that’s not a building permit that’s a development permit which allows you to apply for a building permit,” said Thibault.

“So, it was my mistake at the start and I’m free to admit that but the fact that, you know I wasn’t trying to cheat them, I actually called for framing inspection.”

Thibault says the inspector told him to apply for a building permit right away, and he needed to confirm the fire separation requirements, but construction could continue in the meantime.

Thibault says the next time he heard from the inspector was February 10, three days before the planned launch event.

After some back and forth with the building inspector, Thibault agreed to provide the Region with designs guaranteed by an engineer.

He says the designs should be in the inspectors hand this week.

Executive Director of the Queens Home Care Society Annette Hartlen says the Adult Day/Respite Care program is desperately needed.

“[We] wanted to focus on people that don’t currently meet the criteria for the adult day program, the wonderful program that currently runs here in Queens County at the Manor. We definitely didn’t want to duplicate or step on their toes because they’re offering, you know, an awesome program there. So, we decided we would, yes, we’ll offer an adult day program we’ll offer a respite program, but we wanted to focus on high needs clients.”

Hartlen says while they wait to open the doors, the staff have been working on programming and are ready to welcome clients.

She is hopeful the occupancy permit issue can be resolved quickly.

A spokesperson for the Department of Seniors and Long-term care says despite the delay, the province is committed to funding the day program.

The Region of Queens was contacted but declined to provide comment for this story.

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Executive Director Annette Hartlen looks on as Queens Mayor Darlene Norman and MLA Kim Masland cut the ribbon to open the Caledonia home support office in September 2021. Photo Queens County Home Support

Continuing care assistants across Nova Scotia are getting a significant raise.

At Wednesday’s COVID briefing Premier Tim Houston announced the province will spend $65 million to increase the salaries of all publicly funded CCAs by 23 percent.

That will bring the top paid CCAs annual salary to $48,419, an annual increase of close to $9,000.

Houston hopes raising wages to near the highest levels in the country will entice people to return to the field.

“To those of you who have felt undervalued to the point that you left the profession, please come back. We need you now more than ever,” said Houston. “We want you; we need you; we value you and we respect you.”

Executive Director with Queens County Home Support Annette Hartlen says their organization has lost approximately 25 percent of their staff during the pandemic.

“Prior to the pandemic we had between 60 and 70. Unfortunately with the pandemic we’re down now to about 45 but we’re hoping of course with this increase, because staffing has been a huge challenge,” said Hartlen. “Like I say not only for us but for many other providers of home support services and in long term care, we’re hoping that this will entice more people into the profession.”

Hartlen says having fewer workers to cover the same number of clients puts a higher burden on the remaining CCAs and many people burn out.

“I worry about them because they’re working 40, 50 hours, [sometimes] 60 hours a week trying to get as many client visits in as they can, and many needs met. I admire them for what they are doing and I’m hoping we’ll soon be able to give them a reprieve,” said Hartlen.

She says the representatives from across her profession have been meeting with government about the need to address their challenges and it seems the message is getting through.

“The money is great and it goes a long way of helping our CCAs,” said Hartlen. “But I think it’s the government’s recognition of their value that is more important.”

The pay raise goes into effect February 10.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.