Resident and employee safety prioritized at St. Mary’s Villa Dust Wing

(February 16, 2012) Saskatoon – Resident and employee safety is the driver behind a recent engineering report commissioned by Saskatoon Health Region on St. Mary’s Villa, a long term care facility in Humboldt. As a result, the Region is discussing options with residents of the Dust Wing and their families to relocate from their rooms in this wing of the facility to another part of the facility.

Although the Dust Wing presents no imminent safety risks to residents or to staff, the preliminary findings indicate that the structure of the flooring system in this wing - built in the mid 1970s – is gradually deteriorating and will not meet the care and service needs of residents and their families in the future. Saskatoon Health Region believes it is necessary to relocate the 32 residents by the end of March to ensure their continued well-being and to begin exploring future options for this wing with the Ministry of Health.

“This has been a very difficult year for the residents, families and employees of St. Mary’s Villa,” says Sandra Blevins, Saskatoon Health Region’s Vice-President of Clinical and Operations Support Services. “We know that resident and employee safety at St. Mary’s Villa is paramount, and the Region is taking every possible proactive precaution to prevent any future incident at this important community facility.”

This plan will further affect 10 residents currently residing in enriched housing. The Region is working with these clients to help them find appropriate housing in the community. This will create the least amount of disruption in the lives of the 32 Dust Wing residents so they can continue to receive the level of care they require. 

- 30 -

For more information contact:

Saskatoon Health Region

Healthiest people ~ Healthiest communities ~ Exceptional service