Nanaimo seniors care home to remain under Island Health's control for now

Island Health has extended its daily management of a privately owned Nanaimo seniors home until at least the end of July.

Susan Abermann was appointed administrator of the 150-bed Nanaimo’s Senior Village on Nov. 27 last year. Her appointment was to last six months.

Island Health announced Monday that Abermann will continue to oversee daily operations and management of the private facility.

Nanaimo Seniors Village is run by Pacific Reach Seniors Housing Management, operating as West Coast Seniors Housing Management. That company is part of the Retirement Concepts group of companies.

Island Health took control of the facility based on the recommendation of medical health officer Dr. Paul Hasselback following an investigation and report from Island Health’s licensing program.

The province funds 134 beds at the Nanaimo care home.

Island Health’s board of directors voted to extend the Abermann’s stay in Nanaimo after hearing from Hasselback, who said there has been progress toward meeting government care standards.

In a statement, Island Health said there have been improvements in wound care, staffing levels and care planning. More time is needed to ensure that progress can be maintained and to develop a transition plan to give administration back to the operator.

Island Health’s board will examine the situation at the Nanaimo facility before July 31 to decide whether to continue Abermann’s appointment.

Health Minister Adrian Dix said he strongly supports the decision to extend the appointment of the administrator.”

“The health and safety of residents in long-term care facilities is our foremost priority. We will continue to put the care and safety of seniors first before any other consideration.”

Two other Vancouver Island Retirement Concepts facilities also had administrators appointed last year due to staffing shortages and concerns about neglect of residents: Comox Valley Seniors Village and Selkirk Seniors Village in Victoria.

And in February, the province took over management of a fourth Retirement Concepts seniors facility, this one in in Summerland.

Island Health took over the 136-bed (with 120 publicly funded beds) Comox Valley Seniors Village in Courtenay last year. That, too, has been extended until at least July 31.

In December, the health authority took over the 217-bed Selkirk Seniors Village in Victoria on the recommendation of medical health officer Dr. Murray Fyfe. The province funds 185 beds at Selkirk. The administrator will be at the Selkirk facility until at least mid-June.

Seniors homes in Canada have been particularly hard hit by COVID-19. Thirty-six facilities in B.C. have had outbreaks, though none of Island’s care homes has been affected.