Five months ago, the community of Wawota was rocked by the news that five beds in Deer View long-term care home were slated to be permanently closed as part of a cost cutting program put into place by Sun Country Health Region.
Prompted by budget overages, the closure of the five beds was said to save the region $110,000 a year, though the reasoning given for the closures was an infection risk that Sun Country said existed in having the wing of the facility the beds occupied in full operation.
Unhappy with the closures and the reasoning that prompted the closures, the community of Wawota began a series of efforts to force a change in Sun Country's policy by having all five of the beds reopened.
"We have the same goal as when we started, we want all five beds open again," said Wawota Save Our Beds Committee chair Dale Easton, "We want Sun Country to reverse its decision, and get those beds open again."
The Save Our Beds Committee (SOBC) has staged rallies, protests, and an open discussion with Sun Country and provincial government representatives.
In their most recent effort, the committee has circulated a petition throughout the region, asking people to place their John and Jane Hancock's on the line in an effort to show the widespread support that exists for the Deer View facility.
"We know for a fact we have a lot of signatures from the community here in Wawota," said Easton. "I can't really say if we have a lot of signatures from other places, but there still seems to be support in outside communities."
Beyond the petitions, Easton also said there were further developments in regards to SOBC interaction with Sun Country.
"We were granted a 20 minute meeting to speak with the board on Wednesday [Oct. 27] in Weyburn," Easton said. "We had asked them last month to meet with us, and we didn't get a chance to."
"Now they've contacted us, and agreed to meet us at 10:30 a.m. on Wednesday," Easton said somewhat ruefully. "They are having their board meeting at 1:30 p.m. that day."
"We want to get those beds opened up again," Easton said. "The reasons given are still unjust as far as we can see."
"We want them to revisit the decision made back in April, which included two people who have both been removed from service with the region"
"We would like to urge people to continue to let their MLAs and Sun Country know that the issue of seniors and long term care in our region is still important to them," Easton said. "Write letters, make phone calls, and let them know that we are concerned about the treatment of our elders."
The SOBC is in the process of picking up the petitions from the various communities where they had been distributed now.
The meeting with Sun Country that SOBC is having on Wednesday is a closed door meeting.
