Yukon Medical Association calls for strategy on seniors' care and housing

Yukon's doctors have already written a strongly-worded call to action to the new territorial government. 

The Yukon Medical Association approved two motions during its annual general meeting on Nov. 4. One calls for more palliative care in Yukon and another calls for better research and planning when it comes to meeting seniors' needs. 

The motions can be seen as a rebuke to some policies of Yukon's outgoing government.

The motion on palliative care specifically calls for more palliative care to be located at the Thomson Centre building next to Whitehorse General Hospital, as opposed to a facility being built in the neighbourhood of Whistle Bend. 

The previous Yukon government had committed to making 'temporary' space available at the Thomson Centre for continuing care and had also started work on a 150-bed seniors' facility in Whistle Bend, amid discussions the site could also include palliative care. 

The facility's location and planning had been criticized by the opposition during the last session.

The motion was not unanimous. Some argued the Thomson Centre is already full but others argued the neighbourhood of Whistle Bend is too far from the hospital to be an effective location for palliative care.

Call for Seniors' Strategy

A second motion called for a Seniors' Strategy in Yukon, "starting with a comprehensive needs assessment for the full range of seniors' housing and care." 

It passed unanimously. 

Dr. Brendan Hanley, Yukon's Chief Medical Officer of Health, says many acute care hospital beds in Whitehorse are now occupied by seniors needing long-term care.  

The motion says the federal and territorial governments should develop a comprehensive national strategy for seniors' care.

The second motion was supported by the Canadian Medical Association, represented Nov. 4 by its president Dr. Granger Avery, who was visiting Whitehorse.

Seniors' health

Hanley said the need for seniors' care is made more urgent because of seniors' health. He cited the Canadian Institute for Health Information in saying that Yukon seniors fare worse than the average Canadian senior in some respects.

"Residents (of Yukon continuing care) score above the national average on scores of cognitive loss, delirium, communication and mood, and a very high incidence of cardio-respiratory issues as well as general pain issues," Hanley said. 

Hanley said the CIHI research attributes these factors partly to obesity as well as to higher rates of smoking and alcohol and drug use in Yukon.  

"In other words, Yukon has a relatively young seniors' population compared to rest of Canada but a relatively high burden of cognitive decline and higher needs," he said.

Better homecare needed 

Hanley said the new territorial government should focus on homecare and alternatives to seniors living full-time in care homes.

He also criticized the outgoing government's research and planning.

"I think rather than focusing only on projecting and planning more continuing care beds — (though) that is important — we also need a long-term vision and plan for seniors," he said.

"We need an exploration of a continuum of care, from quasi-independent to supportive living, to supportive homecare to hospital care. Levels that are matched to the individuals' needs." 

The incoming Yukon Liberal government has yet to select a minister of health.