There has been no word about a long-term care facility since 2014. (Derek Cornet/larongeNOW Staff)

By Derek Cornet

long-term care

La Ronge councillors support petition for construction of long-term care facility

May 9, 2019 | 2:00 PM

La Ronge councillors threw their support behind a petition at a regular meeting Wednesday calling for the construction of a long-term care facility in the tri-communities.

MacGiver’s Pine Auto Care Owner Gary Viteri spoke to council at the meeting asking them to add their names to his petition, as well as write a letter of support for his idea. Viteri, who currently cares for his wife Nadine who has early onset dementia, told council it’s only a matter of time before she needs services not available in La Ronge, which will force them both to move away.

“Right now, if my wife has to go and I have to leave this community, my business will be sold,” he said. “You’re going to lose another tax base. There are people moving now because of that same reason and you’re losing a tax base every time it happens. I watched a lot of people leave since I’ve been up here.”

Viteri, who plans on delivering his petition to the Saskatchewan Legislature in Regina, recalled how the provincial government announced $500,000 back in 2014 to begin plans for such a facility. He said plans were available for the public to view at the former clinic. Then in 2016, he was told there was no money for the project. Viteri noted many people worked on the project before it was entirely shut down.

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Without the needed long-term care beds, he stated local residents are taking up space in palliative care at the La Ronge Health Centre, which costs much more money per client. Without infrastructure to care for residents as they grow older, Viteri also warned the community will continue to shrink and more people will leave.

“I didn’t realize how bad it was until I go involved in the system,” he said. “Let’s face it. One of us can end up there tomorrow. Five years ago, I didn’t plan on being anywhere near that place, but it happened that quick.”

Those interested in signing the petition can do so at MacGiver’s Pine Auto Care or the La Ronge Health Centre. La Ronge currently has 14 long-term beds and two respite beds, which are currently occupied. Viteri already travelled to Regina once back in December to voice his displeasure with the government for not keeping its promise to build such a facility in La Ronge.

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derek.cornet@jpbg.ca

Twitter: @saskjourno