REGINA - Concerns are being raised again at the Legislature about the financial situation facing a Weyburn man suffering a terminal illness.
The New Democrats had been calling on the Sask Party government to step up to address the situation of Fred Sandeski, a longtime volunteer and advocate in Weyburn who has raised concerns about the mounting bills for his end of life care.
Sandeski, who is not expected to have a lot of time left to live, is in respite care at a cost of $45 a day — an amount that raised concerns from the Sandeskis about their ability to afford rent.
On social media, a video was posted this week by the NDP in which their Seniors critic Keith Jorgenson was shown meeting with Fred Sandeski. In that video, Jorgenson reviewed a letter Sandeski received from the province.
But instead of that envelope containing an offer from the health ministry to help, it contained a bill.
Jorgenson spoke more about that meeting, and what he learned of Sandeski’s situation, at a news conference at the legislature Friday.
“The only official correspondence that Fred has received from this provincial government is a bill,” said Jorgenson.
“In fact, rather than help him, someone first suggested medical assistance in dying, and now they have asked Fred and his wife to involuntarily separate to get a small government benefit. Can you imagine asking somebody at the end of their life... to separate from their spouse in order to pay their bills? This is cruel and unnecessary.”
Jorgenson said the minister “could solve this problem today. They should have solved it over a month ago. Saskatchewan seniors like Fred helped build this province. They deserve to age and die with dignity. Instead, Fred is having to spend his last days trying to get ahold of Sask Party ministers. Our parents, our grandparents deserve better.”
Jorgenson also provided some details about what the Sandeskis have been suggested to do. Jorgenson confirmed that Fred and Teresa Sandeski “were asked to file paperwork to involuntarily separate, so that would make Teresa's income appear lower so they could apply for a small benefit.
“We're talking about a very, very tiny amount of money in terms of the province that would be required to care for this family or to care for Fred for these final weeks. So, it really does seem very, very cruel to ask them to go through that step at this point.”
He told reporters that when he heard of this suggestion to separate he was “a little bit speechless. You know, it is, the couple's been married 40 years… Having to imagine that the last, the final act that you share with your partner of 40 years is divorcing. Like, we're better than that.”
Jorgenson called this a “solvable problem for the government. There are lots of problems that have been created in the Ministry of Health by their mismanagement and poor planning that are very difficult to fix. And this is, I think, comparatively a very easy fix for them to make.”
Sandeski is now in respite care at the Weyburn Special Care Home where he has been for several days. Jorgenson confirmed his wife Teresa has had surgery and is unable to care for him, and added Fred has COPD, which makes it difficult for him to walk more than a step or two unaided.
“You can tell that his health has rapidly declined, even in the 37 days between my visits to Weyburn,” said Jorgenson.
“When someone falls through the cracks, that's why we exist as politicians, is to help those people. And it boggles my mind that they're choosing to allow this man to spend his final days like this. It's horrible.”
He noted that the amount of income they have and how it's separated between the two of them 'kind of puts them in an awkward situation in this particular case.”
“It's not a common situation, but again, as politicians, part of our job is to advocate for our constituents when the system doesn't work for them.”
Jorgenson also confirmed the local Sask Party MLA for Weyburn-Bengough Michael Weger has been in contact with the Sandeskis, but did not think he had come through for them.
“I mean, the fact is the local MLA has been unable to deliver on a number of things. He's been unable to deliver on a meeting with the Minister. He's also been unable to deliver on fulfilling the promise that the Sask Party government made on, I believe it was Dec. 5th, that his care would be covered.”
Cockrill responds
At an announcement in Saskatoon, Minister of Health Jeremy Cockrill was asked about the situation.
“I'll just say, you know, with Mr. Sandeski's case in Weyburn, I’ve got to say our local MLA in that area, Michael Weger, has been in regular contact with Mr. Sandeski and his family. People from my office, people from Minister (Lori) Carr's office, have been in absolutely regular contact with the Sandeski family, again, trying to just help them navigate their journey through the health care system.
“You know, I gotta commend, again, our local MLA there, who's been in regular contact with the Sandeski family. I actually know that my colleague, Minister Carr, has a meeting with Mr. Sandeski next week, again, to discuss some of the challenges that him and his wife are experiencing, and we hope that we can find a resolution for that family.”
When asked about the NDP claims that the government is sending Sandeski bills instead of helping him, Cockrill reiterated that MLA Weger “has been working closely with the Sandeski family, and you know what, I'll just say, that's not being reported how our MLA is being in regular contact with that family, working with Fred and his wife.”
“Folks from my office have been in regular contact with Mr. Sandeski as well. Again, Minister (of Rural and Remote Health) Carr is going to be meeting with this individual next week, and you know, again, committed to working to find a solution for the Sandeskis.”
- With files from Jon Perez.
