SaltWire E-Edition

‘Everybody is safe’

Nursing home residents from Shelburne, Lockeport relocate to Acadia University

JASON MALLOY SALTWIRE jason.malloy@saltwire.com @JasonMa47772994

WOLFVILLE, N.S. – More than 100 residents and staff of a nursing home in Shelburne are staying at an Acadia University residence after being evacuated May 30 due to the wildfires occurring near the home.

And more were set to join them May 31.

About 66 nursing home residents and 40 staff from Roseway Manor in Shelburne relocated to Chase Court in Wolfville on May 30.

“In partnership with Acadia, we have now fully relocated. We’re up and running safely with the help of their full meal services, safety, security — all of the services required to support our residents and staff,” said Ramsay Duff, chief executive officer for MacLeod Group Health Services, which operates the home.

“We’ve been very fortunate. We have had no injuries, and everybody is safe.”

While there wasn’t a mandatory evacuation order in the Town of Shelburne, there were orders for the surrounding communities. Duff said they made the decision to relocate in consultation with the Emergency Management Organization (EMO) and fire authorities due to the length of time it would take to safely move everybody and the deteriorating air quality with many residents having respiratory illnesses.

They sent out public notices and kept in touch with family members before and after the evacuation.

Duff said the evacuation started at 9:30 a.m. and lasted about 5.5 hours. They used six vehicles to transport the residents, staff and equipment, with each trip taking about three hours, Duff said.

“Acadia has been exceptional in their hospitality, really ensuring that we have everything we need to be able to operate in as normal manner as possible.”

Duff toured the residence May 31 with Acadia president Peter Ricketts and had a chance to speak with some of the residents.

“It’s a very stressful time for them,” he said, noting some of them have dementia. “As I was able to tour the residence this morning with president Ricketts, I think we were able to see they’re settling in nicely.”

He said the staff members are able to stay at the residence as well. The company was bringing in some staff from its other 12 locations in the Maritimes, and some of the homes in the Annapolis Valley were also providing staff to assist them.

Ricketts said he spoke with Acadia staff on May 29 about the forest fires.

“We immediately said, ‘Look, this is a provincial emergency, we’ll do whatever we can to help out,’” Ricketts said. “It reflects Acadia’s spirit that we always step up to help the community in times of need.”

The Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care asked if the university could house the Roseway Home residents. Ricketts said staff immediately sprang into action and began preparing for their arrival.

The residence, which is used by tourists and conference attendees during the spring and summer, was vacant.

Ricketts said its partners on campus like Chartwells, the university’s meal service provider, and Sodexo, which provides support to its physical plant department, also ramped up their activities to prepare for the guests.

He said the spacious residence has an elevator and is located next to the meal hall. He said they had other residences that could be used if needed.

It's not the first encounter Ricketts has had with wildfires. He was at Okanagan University College when devastating fires struck Kelowna, B.C., in 2003. Firefighters came from across the country and stayed at the Okanagan’s residence.

LOCKEPORT

MacLeod Group began evacuating its Surf Lodge location in Lockeport on May 31.

“The facility is not in imminent life-safety threat, but the air quality has deteriorated very rapidly there overnight,” Duff said.

The 30 residents and 30 staff at that location were also relocating to Chase Court.

Duff said when residents of both facilities will be able to return home will be made in consultation with EMO and local officials.

“We are getting daily updates on that. I do not have a date yet for when that will occur.”

The Acadia residence is not a public facility.

“We are going to be consulting with Acadia once we stabilize operations whether or not we can make some sort of accommodation to allow a limited number of family members to come,” Duff said of potential visits. “That won’t be happening for at least 48 hours while we stabilize operations here.”

LESSONS LEARNED

All nursing homes in Nova Scotia require various plans, including one for evacuations.

“Most of those plans are geared to evacuating in the community which you are already present,” Duff said, providing the example of relocating to a fire hall.

“In this instance, evacuating within the community was not an option,” he added. “So, one of the lessons learned that we’re all going to be exploring is evacuation procedures where you’re exiting your community.”

THE ISLAND

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2023-06-03T07:00:00.0000000Z

2023-06-03T07:00:00.0000000Z

https://saltwire.pressreader.com/article/281625309691137

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