bccpa newsletter winter-spring 2013

12 LPN MeNtorshiP PrograM

a newsletter for long term care providers and home support agencies in BC

to BeCoMe a MeMBer

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www.bccare.caadvocating service excellence for seniors

Care QuarterlyBC Care Providers ASSOCIATION

Winter spring 13

4 sPeCiaL Feature: CoNFereNCe 2013

Seniors in the province are hopeful that with the impending appointment of a seniors advocate, the voices of B.C. residents in the demographic of 65 years and older will be heard.

in a speech to the legislature, ralph sultan, B.C. Minister of state for seniors, says the advocate will work closely within government and with people outside of government that will promote positive changes enhancing the well being of seniors.

“the advocates mandate will be broad indeed,” says sultan in his speech. “to consider systemic seniors issues in programs, services, or support systems in relation to health care and personal care.”

By personal care, sultan clarifies that is everything that is non-medical care. this ranges from housing and transportation to income support used by or associated with seniors. he

8-96 edeN Care CeNtre ChiLLiWaCk

oMBudsPersoN rePort – “oNe year Later”

Conference 2013 Putting seniors first. This simple statement is both the goal and the theme of the 2013 BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) Annual General Meeting and Conference to be held in Whistler on May 6 and 7.

“the conference is a two-day affair bringing together all of the member organizations of the BCCPa together to learn the best practices, share information, network and basically help improve the quality of service to seniors in the province,” says daniel Fontaine, who replaced recently-retired ed helfrich as Ceo of the BCCPa.

“it’s my first opportunity to meet and mingle with the membership, and i would say i’m really looking forward to meeting each and every one of them. there’s such a depth of experience and knowledge there i want to be able to tap into that on a firsthand basis,” says Fontaine.

continued on page 8 and 9also adds that often, the most important issues for seniors aren’t necessarily health-related.

“this may be as simple as the challenge of getting to the store.”

sultan points out that the advocate will not be a complaint office — there are already government entities to deal with that — but rather their role will be to identify broad issues that affect seniors and address those issues by advocating the change of associated policies, programs or procedures.

“While some may believe that contention and headlines are the only way to get things done in government, it’s my own personal view, honed by years of experience, that collaboration and persuasion offer the more productive path. When stronger tools are needed to effect change, the advocate will have the power to require information from prescribed service providers,” says sultan.

BC Gets New Seniors’ Advocate

Hon. Ralph Sultan, Minister Responsible for Seniors, tours the new Carlton Gardens in Burnaby during their official opening

continued on page 3

BC Care Providers ASSOCIATION

2 Let’s make BC the best place for seniors’ care!


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dear readers,

i am pleased to be writing to you as the new Ceo for the BC Care Providers association. Let me take this opportunity to thank my predecessor ed helfrich for his 20+ years of service to the organization. due to his past efforts, the association has truly become an effective voice for our members throughout the province.

the BCCPa is currently undertaking a renewal process to ensure it helps meet the current and future needs of our members. the renewal will better position us to handle the policy and funding challenges likely to emerge in the next five years and beyond.

there has already been some great progress made in the last three months:

• AvibrantnewandinteractiveBCCPAwebsitebeinglaunchedonMay7th

• AnewmembersonlyBCCareProviderDayeventinVictoria–early2014

• 1stAnnualMinister’sLuncheonbeingplannedforthisfall

• CEOMemberMonthlyUpdateredesigned

• BCContinuingCareSafetyAssociationapplicationinfinalreviewstage

• HiringanewDirectorofPolicyandResearch(formerlyDirectorofCommunications)

• ReplacingCareOnlinehardcopynewsletterwithamorecosteffectiveandaccessibleonlineedition.

there are a lot more changes planned for the association over the coming months. But our renewal process won’t yield results unless our members are actively involved in helping to transform concepts into reality.

i look forward to meeting all of you in-person at our upcoming annual Conference in Whistler being held on May6-7th.Ifyouhaveanyideasorfeedbackyou’dliketoshare,pleasedon’thesitatetocontactmedirectly.

sincerely,

daniel Fontaine

Chief executive officer

New BC Seniors Advocate

from page 1

there have been concerns from the public over the lack of independence of the advocate, who has to report to the Ministry of health. sultan assures that the role will have a large degree of autonomy.

“the seniors advocate will be established as a statutory officer appointed through order-in-council and reporting to the minister responsible for seniors. that is, for now at least, me.”

the British Columbia Care Providers association (BCCPA),representingover130membersinthe province that provide services for seniors such as long-term care and assisted living, is in full support of the introduction of a seniors advocate, says BCCPa Ceo daniel Fontaine.

“it should go a long way in supporting our efforts to implement a zero tolerance policy for senior abuse in the province. that’s why in our submission to government we requested it have the authority to conduct systemic reviews of agencies such as the Care aide registry,” says Fontaine.



“Working together over the last year, we’ve helped to make our seniors care system more efficient, sustainable and transparent for families and front-line care providers,” says Mary Mcdougall, president of the BCCPa. “it’s a commitment we made when the ombudperson’s report was made public. We’re now beginning to see the fruits of that labour.”

training is always an important component of increasing standards and service quality, especially when you can get everybody aboard. at one member facility, working with the Provincial health services authority, the site managed to achieve 100% compliance with the violence Prevention Program by providing a $50 cash incentive for every care provider who

Nutrition Month

Are you at risk for foodborne illness but don’t know it?

according to a health Canada survey, you could be at higher risk for severe foodborne illness and not even know it.

experts at health Canada have identified four groups of people whose age, health status and other factors put them at an increased risk of serious complications from foodborne illness: children aged five and under, adults aged 60 and over, pregnant women, and people with weakened immune systems.

if you or a member of your family fall into one of the four groups listed above, talk to your primary care provider about your increased risk and ways to stay healthy.

and remember, anybody can get sick from improperly cooked or handled food. Following the four basic principles of safe food handling is still the best way to protect yourself and your family from foodborne illness:

• Cook: Be sure to cook food to a safe internal temperature. Check this by using a digital food thermometer.

• Clean: Wash your hands and surfaces often with warm, soapy water.

• Chill: refrigerate food and leftovers promptlyat4°Corbelow.

• Separate: always separate your raw foods, such as meat and eggs, from cooked foods and vegetables.

relevant information and support targeted to each of the four at-risk groups is available at healthycanadians.gc.ca/foodsafety, as well as general tips on food safety. Be sure to check out the downloadable brochures and interactive guides for safe food handling at home and at the grocery store.

all of the guides found on the website are also available by calling toll-free, 1-800-o-Canada. March was Nutrition Month in Canada.

It’s hard to believe it’s been a year since the British Columbia Care Providers Association welcomed the release of the BC Ombudsperson’s seniors care report last February. But during that time, there have been improvements made by several members across a number of areas from enhanced training and support for care providers to designing flexible service options for spouses with different care needs. Here are some of the notable implemented changes.

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Care Quarterly is published four times a year by the BC Care Providers association.

Ombudsperson Report

“One year Later”

completed the online program. the successful trainees walked away with a certificate of completion and new knowledge in managing challenging situations.

one member has put in place regular medication reviews with reduced use of antipsychotics for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia. the results are increased physician and family engagement, reduced use of medications, stronger assessment and clinical decision-making skills in staff.

Walking does a body good. one member has implemented a walking program for residents with the aim to maintain and/or improve mobility while reducing the risk of falls. Falls, along with pain, urinary tract infections, and care for diabetes, hot weather, behavior, bowel and dementia have been recently included in updates to another member’s clinical guidelines.

Flexibility has often been an ongoing issued for accommodating spouses with different care needs. New designs for shared accommodation in some facilities have greatly enhanced flexible service options. examples are fully private rooms with a shared bathroom area and lockable access doors giving an apartment-like feel for couples, but also allowing non-couples to have their own space. in addition, the bathroom helps contain infection by providing separate sinks and storage cabinets.

This BC Ombudsperson’s seniors care report was released last February.


“We admit residents from the psycho-geriatric unit at the hospital who need some more stabilization before they can move to a long term care facility,” says kean in a news release. “the residents are stable and do not need the mental health services offered at sandringham, and that is why they are referred for a move,”

kean adds that while stable, residents are fragile having been through the system over the years. as such, sandringham has carefully developed a discharge process that over the last 10 months have seen 15 residents transferred successfully.

the process is multi-step and involves a staff discussion once a month about whether residents are ready to be discharged; communication with the family about a possible move; an invitation to a representative from the vancouver island health authority to personally

Capilano Care Centre Blog up and running

By turning a problem into a solution, the Capilano Care Centre is now part of the wonderful world of blogging.

the recent move to internet-based dialogue was to increase the effectiveness of organizational communication at all levels of the care centre, says executive director Chris Mitchell.

“the site maintains a number of different pages, including nursing, recreation, admissions, ed, and families. all of these pages work together to enhance transparency and communication between staff, management, residents and families,” he says.

although limited to one-way communication, with only management staff having publishing rights to maintain credibility and reduce confidentiality issues, Mitchell says the blog solves the problem many staff had feeling disconnected from latest developments.

“Communication breakdown is readily available when relying on paper-based mechanisms or word-of-mouth that does not travel throughout the organization.”

Mitchell came up with the idea after determining limited it resources meant that the many care aides working at the care centre could not have individual email addresses. a blog still allows the dissemination of important information normally done through email.

as an added benefit, management agreed the blog would provide an ideal way for non-staff to stay up-to-date with things happening at the home as well.

“For example, recreation department monthly schedules will be available so families and residents are aware of all upcoming activities and are provided with a more accurate picture of how involved the recreation department is in everyday resident lives,” says Mitchell.

“FaQs and current announcements will also be posted on an admissions page so resident families have more ready access to relevant information pertaining to the admissions process, or facts that might affect new residents.”

the blog is now up and running — for a closer look visit www.capilanocarecentre.com.


“As staff, we become attached to residents and know that we provide them good care. It helps staff to know that the resident is well-supported during the move and to know how the resident is doing in the time after the move...” – Sandringham director of care Debra Kean.

assess the resident and speak to their family as well as staff; informing the resident of the move, usually a day before so as to remove worry in the event of a long wait and to give the resident a chance to say goodbye; packing the resident’s belongings; transportation to the new facility with the social worker and care aide who tells the new staff of the resident’s day-to-day care needs; helping the resident unpack and settle into the new room; and finally, the social worker visits the resident twice after the move and

keeps in contact with their family to ensure a smooth transition.

although staff recognize that sandringham is a transitory facility, kean says it is still hard on staff when a resident moves which is why it was vital to have a well-thought out method of discharge.

“as staff, we become attached to residents and know that we provide them good care. it helps staff to know that the resident is well-supported during the move and to know how the resident is doing in the time after the move,” she says.

“We always send a card with the resident that all the staff have signed.”

Sandringham Care Centre: Calm and Supportive

Residents who have been transferred to the Sandringham Care Centre, a tertiary care facility in Victoria, B.C., find the environment to be a calm and supportive one. And that is the type of environment the centre hopes to maintain during the discharge process for residents as well, says Sandringham director of care Debra Kean.

A Spotlight on Member Innovations


It started eight years ago, with Joan Jackaman was still in her early 70s. She began to forget her bank card number regularly, and that’s when her husband John Jackaman suspected something was wrong.

“initially i thought it was alzheimer’s,” says John, an 80-year-old former military pilot.

“My wife suffers from Lewy Bodies Parkinson’s.”

a disease that that attacks both the body and the mind, Joan was left crippled with no short-term memory. John cared for his bedridden wife at home for six years before transferring her to the eden Care Centre in Chilliwack in 2010 when Joan stopped eating.

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“Initially I thought it was Alzheimer’s” – John Jackaman


Eden Care Centre in Chilliwack - an Interview with a Family Member

With two sons that both had poor health as children, John is no stranger to health facilities of varying qualities but applauded eden for the work they do.

“in the years i’ve been there, whether it’s the laundry lady, the cleaner or the server at the tables they will all stop what they’re doing to help the residents. Nobody puts their hands up and say that’s not my job,” says John who visits the centre at all times of the day or night.

his experiences at eden are actually part of a book that he has written about the journey he and his wife have been on since she was diagnosed called A Passing Delayed but Love Lives On. John says in a way, he started the book three decades ago.

“i have been writing a family history from the 1800s — my wife and i started it in ’83 or so. i wrote a story about every living relative on her side and my side of the family, and the adventures of my 36 years in the military and so on,” he says.

“i started talking to someone and mentioned i had a wife in a care home. and suddenly i realized, embedded in my journal, were entries about coping with my wife and her illness. i extracted it all and put it in the form of a book with 19 chapters.”

in the editing stages now, John hopes to have the book printed soon. he wrote the book with no goal other than to share his personal story and lessons learned. he says the process has also provided him some solace.

“it was good therapy for me, as a person looking after a dearly beloved one. it has made me ask ‘have i done enough? Could i have done better?’



“ ...I’d say one of the

challenges often with industry committees is that people are really busy, but this committee has been great at remaining committed through a long period of time.”

– chairman Geoff Stevens

BC Cares Project: A Legacy of Achievement

“the work has basically been to analyze, which was done initially through a large survey asking things such as ‘what are the issues moving forward?’ to strategize, develop and then implement. We are in the implementation phase right now,” says stevens.

Now winding down with an end date of March 31, the purpose of the committee has been to design hr and workforce strategies for the senior care sector. For instance, last year a Long term Care safety association was developed in partnership with Worksafe BC to improve worksite conditions and reduce the amount of injury claims.

stevens says initially the sChrC, established and funded through the federal and provincial government Labour Market Partnerships Program, had assumptions that care facilities and recruitment were main areas that needed to be looked at.

“it turned out that the biggest issue was retention — keeping workers on was really a problem. reasons for that include the nature of the work itself. it’s often shift work, with lots of casual and temporary workers. it all combines to create a challenge,” he says.

the committee has since held a homecare summit to bring together people in the industry to share their expertise, looked at ways to change shift scheduling in residential care, and evaluated opportunities to retain licensed practical nurses by having them take on a mentorship role as they older.

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“it’s been a great committee. i’d say one of the challenges often with industry committees is that people are really busy, but this committee has been great at remaining committed through a long period of time,” says stevens.

“it’s rewarding that it has gone the full cycle and produced pretty good results. it’s not easy to make significant changes in workplace culture.”

During the last three years, the BC Seniors Care Human Resource Committee (SCHRC) was able to accomplish something rare — go full cycle, says committee chairman Geoff Stevens.

Dr. Art Hister was a big supporter of the BC Cares initiative


1st PAGE……

2nd PAGE…

Monday Reception Sponsor

Sunday Reception Sponsor

Coffee Break Sponsor Stonebridge Financial Corporation

Lunch Sponsor

General Support Sponsor Carewest Real Estate Services

Bronze Sponsor

Prize Table Sponsor Heritage Health Care Rexall Specialty Pharmacy Golf Sponsors Select Sound & Communications Ltd Westport Manufacturing

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SPECIAL FEATuRE: BCCPA CONfereNCe 2013

Putting Seniors First

continued from page 1

one of the highlights of this year’s conference include two speakers who have a unique perspective on the topic of senior care — former health ministers george abbott and Penny Priddy. Moderating the discussion will be long-time vancouver sun political columnist vaughn Palmer, who said he is looking forward to a broad discussion around many subjects from senior care homes to preventative health and mental health issues.

“any organization in healthcare is trying to raise the level of public debate and make people aware of what they’re seeing — what’s coming, what isn’t covered and where we’re going,” says Palmer.

a couple of questions he is particularly looking forward to asking the panel are: “if you had to do it all over again, what would you do differently?” and “what kind of advice would you give to the next health minister on how to support senior care in B.C.?”

Fontaine says he is expecting one of the best turnouts for the conference in the last five years, and registration is still open to the public.

“We are putting seniors first and quality care front and centre as the discussion point. i think we’ve been able to gather a really diverse group of people to achieve a very interesting agenda,” he says. For more information about the conference and to register visit the website at www.bccare.ca/annual-conference.

Conference 2013 Conference Highlights: At a Glance

Sunday May 5, 2013

10:00-3:00 golf tournament

12 Noon registration desk opens

12:30 Whistler village Lunch tour

6:30–9:30 Welcome reception

Monday May 6, 2013

8:30-8:45 Hon Ralph Sultan, Minister for Seniors

8:45-10:15 Jeffrey Simpson, Globe & Mail

11:00- 12:00 Best Practices: administration of anti-Psychotic drugs

safety First in seniors homes: Continuing Care safety association

1:30-2:30 delivering Care for seniors: the alberta experience

Providing expert Care for seniors: role of Nurse Practitioners

3:15-4:15 information to improve seniors Care: satisfaction surveys

seniors Care Workers: gaining Best value from Benefit Costs

6:30-7:30 ReceptioninTradeshow

7:30-10:30 Dinner

Tuesday May 7, 2013

8:15-9:00 BCCPa agM

9:00-9:45 NewWaystoAssistSeniorsinCare: innovation in Long term Care report

10:30-11:15 Managing the Cost of healthcare for an aging Population: how do Provinces compare?”

11:15-12:30 Putting seniors First – What would you do differently/now?

vaughn Palmer guests: george abbott, MLa Penny Priddy, Former MP

SuNDAY Welcome Reception

sunday May 5th 6:30 pm

Meet our new Ceo – Daniel Fontaine

Join us at this networking reception as we reconnect with colleagues and friends and make new acquaintances.

enjoy great food and refreshment and make sure to visit the prize tables – there are great prizes to win!

1st PAGE……

2nd PAGE…

Monday Reception Sponsor

Sunday Reception Sponsor

Coffee Break Sponsor Stonebridge Financial Corporation

Lunch Sponsor

General Support Sponsor Carewest Real Estate Services

Bronze Sponsor

Prize Table Sponsor Heritage Health Care Rexall Specialty Pharmacy Golf Sponsors Select Sound & Communications Ltd Westport Manufacturing

Silver Level Sponsors:

Platinum Sponsor:


SPECIAL FEATuRE: BCCPA CONfereNCe 2013

Putting Seniors FirstRegister Now for one of our Special Events

A Great Lineup of Conference Speakers

Golf Tournament

suNday May 5, 2013 – 10:00 am shot-gun start

Fee: $130 + 1 bottle of wine!

a “teXas sCraMBLe” 18 hole tournament FairMoNt Chateau WhistLer goLF CLUB-4612BlackcombWay,WhistlerBC

Come join us for a fun round on the beautiful Chateau Course. Prizes and refreshments will follow at the clubhouse.

don’t forget to bring your bottle of wine to the course. you will be entered into a draw to

“Win a Wine Cellar”

Whistler Lunch Tour! Something New….

suNday May 5, 2013 - 12:30

Fee: $65 per person

Join us on sunday to explore the eclectic culinary scene in Whistler.

enjoy a delicious multi-course lunch while visiting some of the best local lunch spots. a great way to enjoy the company of colleagues and experience Whistler village. We will stroll from one location to another for each lunch course.

“Win a Wine Cellar” Draw

MoNday during reception in the trade show

in addition to the golf tournament ‘win a wine cellar’ we will be offering an additional wine draw where everyone can participate!

Bring your bottle of wine to the registration desk prior to Monday, May 6th by 3 pm (opentoallattendees&exhibitstaff)

No time to pick up some wine?! Contribute $20 and you will be entered. only those who participate will be entered in the draw and you must be present to win.

visit www.bccare.ca to register online for these special events

honourable ralph sultan, Minister for

Seniors

Jeffery simpson, Globe & Mail

goerge abbott MLA

Penny Priddy, Former MLA

vaughn Palmer Vancouver Sun

columnist

MONDAY Reception & Dinner

Monday May 6th

Reception:6:30pm(ExhibitHall)

the evening starts with the reception in the exhibit hall – don’t be late for the

“Win a Wine Cellar” draws! Followed by dinner and fun entertainment for all!



Change Coming for BCCPAThank You

With a re-launch coinciding with the BCCPa AnnualGeneralMeetingonMay7,Fontainesays the new www.bccare.ca will very much be focused on four key areas.

“We are going to re-align it to make sure that families who need resources putting family members into care can find them on the website,” says Fontaine.

“it will be a place to showcase our employees within the sector, our members and who they hire,” he adds, with new profiles being added regularly for viewing in the months following the launch.

the other two areas of interest on the site will be a section highlighting member innovations such as new programs developed at facilities or even interesting building designs, and an online-only version of the Care Quarterly newsletter that will be shedding its current paper format.

With smart phones and tablets taking over the consumer market, a mobile-friendly version of the website will also be created, says Fontaine.

technology aside, Fontaine also hopes to implement a few new events as well.

“a key one is we’d like to have a minister’s lunch. We’d invite a minister and people in the

sector to address us in a state of the nation. it’s an opportunity to partner with the government and a minister to hear directly where the government is going, and for them to hear where we’re going,” he says, adding that will likely happen some time in october.

in the spring, in addition to the annual conference, Fontaine says he would like to organize a “delegate day” in victoria inviting care providers and their families to take part in an awards ceremony recognizing longstanding support in the industry, as well as to meet representatives from the government and the opposition.

Finally, the BCCPa is looking to hire a new director of policy and research and is hoping to fill the position by the summer.

“the candidate will be a resource to members, and will analyze government policy and be a subject matter expert in senior care. they should know data, facts, figures. secondly, they will also be involved with cutting-edge research work and work with university interns on research projects.”

For more information about the position, go to www.bccare.ca/2013/03/bccpa-seeking-new-director-of-policy-research.

Barb Stevenson

after serving three years as a member on the board of directors of the British Columbia Care Providers Association(BCCPA),and25 years as the executive

director of Fir Park/echo village, Barbara stevenson is hanging up her hat.

“i’m not retiring from the workforce — i have a lot of projects i’m working on in healthcare and community service,” says stevenson. “i’m just stepping down from management and stepping down from running the facilities. it’s like seeing your kids graduate and go off to school.”

stevenson originally joined the board because she says there were issues that the BCCPa were dealing with that paralleled that of her own organization.

reflecting on her term, she says “the opportunities to be informed and to have access to really good information, and to establish really valuable and productive connections with the industry have been helpful.”

“i will miss the people, and i don’t have the slightest doubt that the connections i’ve made with anybody need be lost.”

Carla Gregor

representing the vancouver Coastal health authority, Carla gregor has been a board member of the British Columbia Care Providers Association(BCCPA)since

2009. in her daily role, she is also the president andCEOoftheGoodSamaritanSociety(GSS)that provides long-term care and assisted living for the elderly and challenged individuals.

“it’s certainly been a useful experience for me personally — i was new to my position at the good samaritan society and i learned a lot from being on the board, and from the board business,” says gregor.

“it was also helpful for the society in that we had a venue for sharing our ideas and concerns, and we had a vehicle to get those issues addressed through the BCCPa.”

one of the issues particularly stand out for gregor — the advocacy around funding, which she says has been significant in ensuring the good samaritan society continues to be sustainable in B.C.

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BC reducing impact aging is having on Health Budget, says report

unlike many other provinces in Canada, the cost of elder care is actually decreasing in B.C. In a recent report, The CD Howe Institute — a Canadian non-profit policy think tank — credits factors like reduced public spending in nursing homes and residential facilities and BC Fair Pharmacare as the cause.

Colin Busby, senior policy analyst at Cd howe and also a co-author of the aforementioned report, says a big change occurred in 2001 to 2003 when there was a change in Pharmacare policy.

“the shift from an age-based drug program — for those aged 65-plus — to a strictly income-based drug plan would have notably resulted in more seniors contributing greater private costs for drugs,” says Busby.

“British Columbia has been “almost uniquely successful among Canadian provinces in mitigating the impact of aging on its health care budget,” with annual growth of its health spending down from seven per cent before the recession to five per cent last year, and headed - the government hopes - to three.”

– VANCOUVER SUN January 26, 2013

“The [C.D. Howe Institute] paper says most of these savings on elder care stem from reduced public costs for nursing homes and residential facilities…”

More privatized spending equals less strain on the government budget — the same theory goes for higher private charges for nursing home care in the province, which Busby says has contributed to the lower-age spending profile in health. this may partly explain why

the report states provincial expenditures per person by age has declined significantly since 1998. how significantly? Just 15 years ago, the cost was approximately $31,000 for seniors 90 years and older. Now it’s $19,000.

in a comparison to the rest of Canada, the report also identifies B.C. spending less on hospital and drugs than other provinces, but more on “public health.” that encompasses things such as health promotion activities and community mental health programs — investments that Cd howe believes could also be contributing to the relatively low per-person health costs, and says other provinces can emulate.

Busby will be speaking at this year’s British Columbia Care Providers association annual Conference where he will expand further on the subject of managing the cost of health care in an aging economy.



LPN Mentorship Program

Working at the haro Park Campus of Care, Momcilovic jumped at the opportunity to improve her leadership skills and also help someone in the industry that she loves.

“i like my job because it’s so rewarding when you get to directly help seniors...” saysthe54-year-oldwhocametoCanadaas a refugee from Croatia when she was40.

she says that’s why it has been a great experience to help someone else like so many have helped her get to where she is today.

Annual Financial Report & Activities Posted Online

if you are interested in learning more about the operations of the BC Care Providers association, please feel free to visit our website for more information. our annual financial statements and current activities are posted online each year at www.bccare.ca.

“i watch her do things and i give feedback and advise her on care. i was recently teaching her assessment skills because she usually doesn’t have that at her assisted living worksite,” says Momcilovic.

Working in extended care, Momcilovic says she deals with totally mobile patients to people in wheelchairs, on bed rest and in palliative care. her mentee has also shadowed her on the job to observe things like administering medication and injections.

although the program is officially targeted at LPNs in the last stage of their careers, Momcilovic said she is nowhere near retirement.

“i like my job so much even though it’s very difficult. every day i go to work without thinking ‘oh no, it’s another day.” i don’t do that even though it would surprise you if you could see what i’m doing.”

TheBCCareProvidersAssociation(BCCPA)hasrepresentednon-profit,denominationalandprivately-ownedassistedliving,longtermcareandhome support providers across the province for 35 years. BCCPa members provide publically funded complex care to over 12,000-frail seniors each day and employ more than 10,000 professional staff and health care aides. With the aging of our society, the changing demand on our seniors care system and the uncertainty associated with the upcoming provincial election, it is more important that ever to make sure care providers speak with a united voice, if you are not a member, consider joining today. Contact us at www.bccare.ca.

Join Us!

Last fall, the BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) launched the Licensed Practical Nurse (LPN) mentorship program where late career LPNs partnered with those newly graduated or new to residential care to pass on knowledge and provide guidance. LPN of eight years Nena Momcilovic was one of the mentors selected and says it has been a rewarding and enlightening experience so far.

“ I like my job because

it’s so rewarding when you get to directly help seniors.”

– Nena Momcilovic

LPN of eight years Nena Momcilovic



BC Safety Association Information

Sessions Planned

BC Care Providers Association (BCCPA) is one of the province’s longest serving seniors care organizations. In response to a growing concern among our members, and other seniors care leaders, we have proposed to create an employer-operated safety association for the seniors care sector.

to set the new BC Continuing Care safety Association(BCCCSA)ontherightpath,wewant to provide you with a more direct update on these plans and provide an opportunity for you to ask questions you may have.

that’s why we’re organizing two tele-forums to support our overall consultation process with members. they will be held on:

april 18th at 11 am

May 21 at 11 am

the teleforums will include representatives from Worksafe BC and the Continuing Care safety association in alberta. For more information about how you can register, please visit www.bccare.ca today.

AspecialQ&AinformationsessionontheBCCCsa has also been organized for the annual Conference being held in Whistler on May6-7.PanelistswillincludeStephenSymonfrom Worksafe BC.

in preparation for above, learn more about the project which is being led by BCCPa with the support of funding provided through the Canada/BC Labour Market partnership agreement.

Continuing Care Safety Association an interview with Darryl Kutchinski, CEO

“at participating sites, it’s been quite dramatic — over a 50 per cent reduction in claims. incidents have gone way, way down,” says kutchinski, who was formerly a director for Western Canada sun Life Financial before joining the CCsa. he added Workers’ Compensation Board premiums have decreasedby34percentsince2007.

the training targets a wide-range of employee groups that include care aides to kitchen staff to maintenance workers. kutchinski says the association’s belief is that more attention needs to be paid to safety, and this is a concept that facility operators are recognizing.

“the cost of injuries impact their operational budget and ability to improve ongoing care,” he says.

to put it in perspective, in 2006 the CCsa received 1621 claims. in 2010, that number wasreducedto1137,andsofarfor2013kutchinski says everything points to a continuing downward trend. however, he says there are lots of factors that from a safety association perspective are not preventable and can affect the numbers, such as disease outbreaks. in 2011 the number of claims went up slightly when several staff were

Care Aides can reduce injuries through education programs

exposed to a contagion and automatically taken off of work.

sicknesses notwithstanding, the main focus of the CCsa is to help employees work safer and more efficiently. their most popular course is the injury Prevention Program (IRP),wheretheassociationmakeson-sitevisits to teach things such as safe lifting techniques for care aides, provide resource lists, and make recommendations on addressing deficiencies from an equipment standpoint.

“Certainly the number one type of injury we get is overexertion. strains and sprains, care aides have the greatest exposure to that type of injury,” says kutchinski.

Besides the irP, the association also offers more specific training. they range from a musculoskeletal injury prevention program, to assistance in setting up workshops such as workplace inspection and workplace hazardous materials information system

When Darryl Kutchinski, CEO of the Continuing Care Safety Association (CCSA) based in Edmonton, AB, took over the reins in 2008 as executive director, the association had a grand total of three staff and one certificate program. Today, the CCSA has almost 20 staff and boasts 12 safety programs that have resulted in a dramatic downturn of overall injuries in workplaces they’ve trained.

“ Certainly the number one type of injury we get is overexertion. Strains and sprains, care aides have the greatest exposure to that type of injury...”

– Darryl Kutchinski, CEO of the CCSA

workshops, and even offer what they refer to as training the trainer courses designed to prepare instructors.

kutchinski says labour has been involved in the process of developing these programs, although members do not necessarily have to be associated with a labour group to serve on the board of directors. Currently the CCsa has representatives from QualCare and the Bethany Care society.



Seniors Care and Work Place Safety

VISION

• incident free workplaces

MISSION

• to create safe workplaces through the provisionofeducation,leadership&collaboration

VALUeS

• safe work and safe work behaviours

• value the right of each worker to have a safe, healthy and incident free work environment

• Members input, feedback and direction

GOALS• Provide CCsa members with cost

effective training, educational services and industry safety performance metrics

• Promote effective health and safety management systems including the benefits of participating in the Partnerships Program

• Communicate government health and safety legislation and policies which impact CCsa members.

fUNDING• industry determined levy amount.

• $0.07per$100ofinsurableearningsis collected for the CCsa from a levy through the alberta Workers Compensation Board.

• industry approves funding amounts annually via Board of directors.

• additional grants received from various agencies

GOVerNANCe• 13 Members - 9 voting Members

• Chairperson

• 4SectorDirectorsPublic,Private,voluntary, supportive Living

• Long term Care employee representative

• assisted Living employee representative

• alberta Continuing Care association

• Past Chair

• 4NonVotingMembers

WCB representative human services representative CCsa executive director external agency

• 14Fulltimeemployees

fUNCTIONS

• Collaboration,Research&BestPractice– rationalizing resources

• strategic safety Consultation – Customized assessments

• DataAnalytics&Communication–targeted Focus

• education delivery – enhancing knowledge, skills and Competence

• audit/Compliance – holding the gains

• training workshops and models tailored to each facility

• one-on-one assistance in maintaining and achieving Cor

The Alberta

Safety Model

alberta’s Continuing Care safety association (CCSA)wasincorporatedin2005bylongtermcare operators as a dedicated health and safety association. in 2008 it was expanded to include seniors assisted living. home care providers are in the process of joining.

CCsa facilitates a reduction in workplace injuries by providing education in incident prevention, promoting safe workplaces and sharing best practices.

since it was established, CCsa has achieved a number of successes, including:www.continuingcaresafety.ca

• decrease in total number of overall claims by an average of 20%

• decrease in lost time claims by over 26%

• disabling injury rates decreased by 30%

• back injury claims decreased by 36%

• secured $2.3 million in additional grant funding

• piloted innovative injury reduction programs that achieved a lost time claim rate reduction of64%

* Manitoba rates can range from a minimum of $.51 for nursing homes and $.65 for senior citizen and special care* Quebec rates can range from a minimum of $1.40 for nursing homes



BC’s New Safety Association Offers Opportunity To Reduce Injuries and WCB Premiums

Home and community seniors’ health care workers perform a variety of different tasks which put them at risk of injury. Despite recent progress, approximately 60% of the 3,500+ claims accepted by WorkSafe BC for care aides, LPNs and home support workers being injured on the job occur in long-term care settings.

approximately 50% of all work injuries suffered by these health workers are musculoskeletal injuries caused by overexertion or repetitive movements. other common causes of work-related injuries are slips, trips, falls and aggressive behaviour. residential care aides and home support workers may also be exposed to infectious diseases and hazardous chemicals.

employers are required to implement measures to eliminate or minimize injury risks to workers – particularly as it relates to violence in the workplace. in recent years, they have faced increasing difficulty with respect to appropriate community care placement of seniors and resident behavioural issues.

Care providers have expressed concerns that these cases are increasingly resulting in violence

by family members, police intervention, the use of weapons and eviction. they worry the number of incidents may increase in the future due to a variety of factors:

• increasedcomplexityandnumberofseniors requiring long-term care

• limitedaccesstocommunitymentalhealthservices

• admissionofyounger,moreable-bodiedclients into assisted living

• lackoffundingtoachievebasicstaffinglevels

in response to these concerns, last fall employers applied to create a new self-funded collaboration with Worksafe BC and the creation of a new continuing care safety association for seniors care providers - similar to a successful alberta model.

in this special feature we review the alberta model and provide a preview of how the creation of a new BC safety association can create a positive culture change in the sector that promotes innovation, reduces staff turnover and improves continuity of seniors care.

Did You Know

In 2007 in Alberta the average provincial premium rates for the long term care industry were $2.25/$100 of insurable earnings.

As of 2013 the premiums are now $1.53/$100 of insurable earnings 34% reduction since 2007

Frequency rates have had slow progressions downward. From 2005 to 2011 injury frequency rates dropped from 5.91 lost time claims per 100 workers to 4.89

Improperly performing lifting tasks can lead to injury for BC’s care aides



The BCCPA application to create a new BC Continuing Care Safety Association (BCCCSA) is now in the final stages of review by WorkSafe BC.

once approved, the BCCCsa will enact by-laws that set out functions and responsibilities. an independent board of directors will include representatives of sector employers and workers.

Worksafe BC may sit as a non-voting board member at its discretion. a president, chief executive officer or executive director would be appointed by the board. the BCCCsa will focus exclusively on non-profit and privately owned home and community seniors care providers. it will:

• Promoteworkplaceawarenessofoccupational health and safety

How the BC Continuing Care Safety Association Will Be Funded

Seniors Care and Work Place Safety update

• Educateemployers,managers,andworkersabout occupational health and safety

• Provideinformationonworkplacehazards,and how to eliminate and control them

• Fosteracommitmenttoeffectiveinternalmanagement systems

• Shareindustrybestpractices

• Consultregularlywithindustrystakeholdersto ensure prevention goals are meeting needs

The BC Safety Association must:

• CooperatewithWorkSafeBCtodevelopindustry-wide prevention strategies

• Shareinformationandimplementbestpractices

• TransferresearchknowledgetoWorkSafeBCand industry partners

• Streamlineadministrativefunctionsandreduce duplication in the delivery of services

• Shareinformationonbenchmarking,measurements, and program evaluation

• Developcommunicationplansconsistentwiththe health and safety messages of Worksafe BC

The new BCCCSA will implement a work plan that:

• Supportsanindustry-wide,long-rangeprevention strategy and Worksafe BC goals

• Outlinesinitiatives,activities,outputmilestones, and brief descriptions on how the implementation will occur

• Confirmsfiscalyearenddate,plannedobjectives and activities for the funding year

As we near the formal establishment of the new BC Continuing Care Safety Association, it is important that employers understand how it will be funded.

in our application to WorksafeBC, it was indicated we would need to increase WorkSafeBCpremiumsby7centsper$100.00of assessable payroll in order to fund the operations of the BCCCsa. it is anticipated that WorksafeBC will approve the application for the formation of the safety association before June 2013. the 2013 WorksafeBC rates donotincludethe7centlevy.Theearliestthe7centlevycanbeappliedis2014andthereissome chance that the levy will not be applied until2015(primarilyduetoWorkSafeBCratesettingfor2014needingtobecompletedpriortoapprovalofthesafetyassociationfunding).

it is also worth noting that the current WorksafeBC insurance premium for Long term Careis$0.50belowactualcosts(costrate=$3.02versuschargerate=$2.50)duetoasurplus in the insurance pool for Long term Care. the surplus is returned to employers over time in the form of lower rates. the surplus will decrease over time and eventually disappear and this will result in an increase in the insurance premiums up to the cost rate.

Possible scenario:

• WorkSafeBCapprovestheformationofBCCCSAandestablishes7centlevytofund BCCCsa

• Thelevymayormaynotbeappliedto2014ratesdependingonthetimingofBCCCSAapprovalandsettingof2014rates.The7centlevywillbeappliedto 2015 rates and all other years going forward.

• Pleasenotethatthelevywouldbeappliedtothebaserate(averagechargerate)for Long term Care. WorksafeBC rates vary annually and over the past four years the rates for Long term Care have been ashighas$2.70,aslowas$2.42andarecurrently $2.50 for 2013. it is unknown at this time what the base rate will be for 2014.

When looking at possible premium changes into the future, it is important to note:

• Individualcareproviderscanlowertheirpremiums through improving their own experience rating with WorksafeBC. individual employers can receive up to a 50% discount on their insurance rate through effective health and safety and return to work initiatives. alternatively,

employers can experience up to 100% surcharge on their insurance rate to cover above average costs of work place injuries and illness.

• WorkSafeBCoffersanincentiveprogram(CertificateofRecognition)toemployerswho create and adhere to health and safety management system and return to work system. Qualified employers can receive a financial incentive of 10-15% of their base rate insurance premium.

• InAlberta,theyhaveseenratesdropby34%sincethecreationoftheContinuingCare safety association. this has meant significant savings for operators.

• InAlberta,thelong-termcaresectorwasabletorecovertheir7centpremiumcharge within the first five years.

• WiththecurrentsurplusintheLongTermCare insurance pool decreasing it can be reasonably anticipated that WorksafeBC insurance premiums will be increasing over the next few years, regardless of the establishment of the BCCCsa

• TheBCCCSAoffersthesectorarealopportunity to improve health and safety and return to work outcomes and reverse the premium trend downward over the mid to long-term

bccpa newsletter winter-spring 2013

Documents

safe food handling

advocating service excellence

lets make bc

good samaritan society

care debra kean

eden care centre

bc safety association

long term care