EDMONTON -- Several staff members at an Edmonton seniors home have been laid off, but the company who runs the facility said the move is related to a decision that was made before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Chartwell Retirement Residences has confirmed that five staff members were laid-off at their Griesbach site, and hours were reduced for two other staff members.
The company said the reduction was made after 34 beds funded by Alberta Health Services were moved to their Heritage site.
“This was a decision made prior to our purchase of this portfolio in 2018 and since that time, we have been slowly transitioning the beds at Chartwell Griesbach through attrition and no residents have been displaced,” said Sharon Ranalli, Vice President of Marketing & Communications in an email to CTV News Edmonton.
“We advised our employees and the union some time ago and well in advance of current conditions. Once again, COVID-19 is not related to this decision.”
Ranalli also said the Heritage site had also added staff resources, but did not say how many.
The Alberta Union of Provincial Employees said they have urged Chartwell to reconsider the decision, in light of the COVID-19 situation.
"Since the COVID crisis started, corporate interests have been prioritized one too many times, and the giants in continuing-care are no exception.
Centralized planning in health-care is crucial to dealing with this pandemic. We need to all be on same page, and the patchwork of for-profit, not-for-profit and public continuing-care facilities in Alberta is keeping us from doing this," said AUPE Vice-President Susan Slade in a news release.
The union says care centres in Alberta are in danger of following the pattern of care homes in B.C. where at least a dozen residents have tested positive for COVID-19.
