Golden Plough budget has special staffing stresses, County committee hears

By Cecilia Nasmith

Two staffing-related stresses are challenging the budget of the Golden Plough Lodge.

Northumberland County council's Community Health Committee heard at its June meeting of budget items to cover extra staffers in two areas – security and nursing.

Administrator Alanna Clark explained the need for more security that has arisen since they are getting “more and more acute residents that have various behaviours where they require a one-to-one constant security care.”

With construction on the new GPL facility nearby, the Burnham Street entrance is now their front door, where they require 24/7 security, “so we can ensure visitors know where they are going, that they sign in – this is a mandatory requirement from the ministry.

“They also do rounds, help during shift changes at the staff entrance – it's dark, and people have been lingering in the parking lot.”

Attending in her capacity as a county councillor, though not a committee member, Mandy Martin said she'd heard a number of presentations (at Association of Municipalities of Ontario conventions, for example) on the contract work being farmed out to nursing agencies in the face of staffing gaps. When an agency nurse is hired, she pointed out, the county pays not only a competitive wage to the temp but also a fee to his or her agency.

There are many factors involved, Clark said. 

“We are actually seeing more applicants for our positions, and we are at a higher complement than we have been in the last six months,” she pointed out.

However, some staffers have taken leave, while others – under the terms of their union contracts – have some leeway over what shifts they accept. The result is occasional gaps in some shifts, even with the part-timers they have hired.

As for the agencies, she pointed out, their nurses also have the same advantages – a competitive wage, as well as the ability to pick and choose what shifts they will accept.

“The proliferation of the use of agency workers is starting to skew the market, with workers being attracted to that type of employer vs. coming into a dedicated home,” Clark stated.

“It's certainly not unique to the GPL. It started around COVID and has continued to be a challenge.”

With this cost being an issue at the end of the first quarter, Martin pointed out, “this isn't trending well until the end of the year. These are costs we can't afford to keep doing. I think we should take a position on it.”

“It falls under that casual kind of employment,” Clark said.

“Agencies are so flexible, you can pick up shifts as you want. I think we do have a bit of that in our casual line, but it's important for the residents to have consistency. The more full-time permanent lines we can fill, the better off the residents will be.”

Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Moore pointed out that it's a fully unionized workforce at the Plough.

“We do have to be cognizant of what gets enshrined in those agreements.”

Warden Brian Ostrander made a motion to direct staff to bring forward a report on these staffing challenges to a future committee meeting.

County committee learns of Family-Led Death Care rights

Though Administrator Alanna Clark is unaware of any Golden Plough Lodge resident whose family has requested Family-Led Death Care, they are reviewing their policy and holding a senior leadership team meeting on the issue.

The matter came up through correspondence from Barb Phillips received by Northumberland County council's Community Health Committee at its June meeting, noting that many Ontario long-term-care homes are unaware of the rights families of deceased loved ones have in this regard.

“In Ontario, next-of-kin can legally provide care for a deceased loved one without the involvement of a licensed funeral establishment or transport service, prior to burial or cremation,” Phillips wrote. 

She also gave the definition of Family-Led Death Care provided by the Bereavement Authority of Ontario, which expands on these rights (excepting arterial embalming) for their deceased loved ones. These include “funeral services, including transport, documentation including death registration, and body care, without a license and for no charge.”

While many long-term-care homes may never have had a family member claim and remove the body of a loved one after death, Phillips continued, “it is important to understand that next-of-kin can legally remove the body from the place of death independently if they choose.”

At this point, she added, the family becomes responsible for any further actions and decisions.

Phillips signed off her letter as a member of the Community Deathcare Ontario Legislative Committee.

Council's Community Health Committee voted to refer the correspondence to county council at its June 19 meeting for information purposes.