Watson Lake's mayor says anything is welcome when it comes to long-term care options in town
CBC
The mayor of Watson Lake says his town wants any long-term care beds it can get, and he's urging the Yukon's health minister to listen to what she's hearing about long-term care in his community.
Earlier this month, CBC News reported that a couple in their 90s, married 75 years, are forced to live apart because there are no long-term care options available in Watson Lake.
"Ev and Lloyd Kostiuck have been a part of our community for the entirety of their lives," said Mayor Chris Irvin. "Nobody wants to be separated at this point in their life after spending that much time together, and it truly is heartbreaking."
The Yukon government was planning to put two long-term care beds in the Watson Lake Hospital, but put the plan on pause after consulting with the municipality.
Late last year, Health Minister Tracy-Anne McPhee said she was told it was not what the town wanted to pursue.
This week, Irvin said that's not exactly true.
"That wasn't the comment from the municipality," he said. "That might have been misconstrued from comments throughout the community. I think the impression I got from the community was that the two beds that were suggested to be used at the hospital were insufficient ... not that we didn't want them."
"It's just not the solution our community was looking for."
Last week, after Evelyn and Lloyd Kostiuck's story came to light, McPhee said her government was still exploring the possibility of a long-term care facility in Watson Lake.
She added that a community needs assessment is happening in the town to determine the best approach for long-term care.
Watson Lake has a lot of seniors living there, Irvin said.
He said stories of families being split apart because a member requires care that isn't available in town aren't new.
He added the attention given to the Kostiuck family's situation is just bringing the issue back to light.
"Twenty-five per cent of our senior citizenship in Watson Lake is going to face a very similar situation, very soon," he said.
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