On Sept. 17, senior care workers at the Bethany Care Society in Airdrie spent their lunch time protesting proposed benefit cuts, which protesters said will cause further reductions in the level of care for the centre’s senior residents.
“What I want to see come out of this rally is the Alberta government and Alberta Health Services (AHS) listen to us,” said Bethany Airdrie Nurse and protestor Hailey Brietzeke.
The protestors said their wages and benefits were cut in April 2013 and they were promised the cuts would be revisited once Bethany Care Society was given a budget through AHS.
However, workers said they have not seen the 2013 cutbacks restored and are now being asked to take another cut.
“This is your parents and grandparents we’re talking about,” Brietzeke said. “We care but we can’t give the care we want to.”
She said on average the Airdrie centre has two health care aides for 26 patients, a number she said is far too low. The result, according to workers, is one bath per week for residents, delays in feeding residents and reduced assistance for toileting.
“We’re lucky if we can toilet (residents) two times in a shift. We want to do more but we can’t,” said Bethany Airdrie Nurse Linda McDonald.
“Feeding (residents) is also an issue because there’s not enough staff,” said Bethany Airdrie Health Care Aide Representative Corrina Nolan.
“By the time we do get to feed them, their food is cold.”
She added bathing had become “just a quick rinse” and some days residents won’t get their hair brushed or face washed.
Brietzeke said the proposed cuts include eliminating employee’s health spending accounts.
The cuts include changing the consecutive shift maximum from six days to sevens days, reducing staffing hours, reducing bereavement and special leave, and the elimination of flexible health spending accounts.
The workers said they have noticed an increase in back injuries, mental health leave and Worker’s Compensation Board claims since the 2013 cutbacks.
“We’re losing a lot of good staff because of it,” Nolan said.
Joy Winter, whose mom Jean Taylor is a resident at Airdrie Bethany, also attended the protest.
“We’re here to support workers and patients because they need a voice,” Winter said.
“(Residents’) health needs aren’t being heard.”
Winter said she has had to come help at the centre more and more because there is not enough staff to do all the work. On Sept. 14, Winter came to visit her mom and ended up dishing out soup to residents and helping in the kitchen because “there was no one there to do it.”
“It’s just not good enough,” Winter said.
“Patients are paying good money to be here and (families) shouldn’t have to do (the work).”
“We can’t be here 24/7 but we feel we have to be here 24/7,” she added.
Winter added her mom is not incontinent but cannot speak and has to point when she needs to use the washroom, however, that only works if there is staff there to see Taylor pointing.
“Prisoners get better health care then (the residents),” she said.
She added, “The food, I wouldn’t feed to my dog sometimes.”
MLA Rob Anderson and Airdrie Deputy Mayor Allan Hunter were also at the protest to support the workers and residents.
“We have a real problem across the province with our nursing care,” Anderson told the crowd. “How can we retain staff if we don’t have competitive wages and health care for them?”
Hunter challenged the Province’s new cabinet and MLAs to put their parents into facilities like Bethany Airdrie and see the conditions for themselves.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees (AUPE), which represents approximately 1,000 staff at six Bethany Care Society facilities, is currently in negotiations with Bethany Care Society. AUPE is seeking standardized contracts that will establish equal terms and conditions for Bethany employees, according to a press release.
According to Merryn Edwards, communication technician for AUPE, current wages for nursing care staff range from $17.87 to $32.96 per hour. AHS wages, which AUPE uses as an example of standard wages for the industry, top out at $24.45 per hour for health care aides and $33.94 per hour for LPNs.
Repeated attempts to contact Bethany Care Society were not returned by press time.
“This isn’t Walmart, we don’t want a rollback,” Slade told protestors at the Sept. 17 event.
“We need our employer to know we will not be taking any rollbacks.”
