Employees raising concerns about Regina nursing home

Three employees at a Regina nursing home that was at the centre of a recent controversy are speaking out today, describing Santa Maria Senior Citizens Home as a troubled place with bad food that has failed to make needed improvements.

At the Legislature Monday, the Saskatchewan New Democrats were again discussing conditions at Santa Maria, the home where Margaret Warholm lived until her transfer to hospital last fall and death three days later.

Three care home aides, who have requested that their names not be published out of fear they might be fired, disputed claims that Santa Maria staff have had some retraining and that things have changed for the better in the year since Warholm died.

They said there has been no change in policies or procedures since Warholm's death.

They say short-staffing means residents get a bath roughly once every two weeks and sometimes have to wear soiled bandages for extended periods.

"We've always been overworked I feel," Sue (not her real name) said.

"Working short probably in the last year before that it was never, ever heard of," Sue said. "We never, ever worked short. Lately it's just an everyday occurrence."

As a consequence, elderly residents don't get cared for properly, she said.

Another worker, Anna (not her real name), said the quality of the food being served to residents is also a major concern.

"The food is like leftover food on a daily basis," she said. "What they have for breakfast, they're going to have it for lunch. And when they have something for lunch, the left over is for supper. Residents don't eat that, there is lots of waste."

The women also said the inability to spend time with each patient is an ongoing problem.

"We can't even spend 10 minutes with the residents, like one-on-one," Jenny (not her real name) said. "They need to do something, not just sitting in a chair all day or looking at the walls."

The case of Warholm, 74, who died Oct. 6, 2013, was raised by the NDP in the legislature last week.

Her children believe she died prematurely at least in part because of the treatment she received in the home.

The NDP has produced a letter from 49 Santa Maria staff members expressing concerns.

Letter, obtained by NDP,from employees to operators of the Santa Maria Senior Citizens Home. NDP has marked sections in yellow and blurred names.

On mobile? Click here to see the letter employees sent to the operators of the Santa Maria Senior Citizens Home.

When the issue was raised at the legislature Saskatchewan Premier Brad Wall noted how the government has spent money on health care.

"This government has invested, invested unprecedented resources in senior's care, in health care across the province," Wall said.

Wall's observation was not well-received by the opposition.

"It's unbelievably frustrating to keep hearing the premier and the minister of health just dismissing the crisis in senior's care no matter how many concerns they hear," Cam Broten, leader of the NDP, said Monday.

Replay the live chat below, or if you'd like to weigh in, leave your thoughts in the comment section.

Join online host MattKruchakfrom Monday to Friday between 6-8:45 a.m. oncbc.ca/saskatoonfor a lively and engaging live chat. While chatting, tune into Saskatoon Morning on94.1 FM with hostLeishaGrebinski.