Central Okanagan

Interior Health moved to appoint an administrator today to oversee the residential care section at Summerland Seniors Village. The administrator will be in place for a minimum of three months, and is in addition to the clinical consultant already on site.

Photo: Deborah Pfeiffer

Section 23 of the provincial Community Care and Assisted Living Act gives health authorities the power to appoint an administrator to operate a community care facility if there are reasonable grounds to believe that there is a risk to the health or safety of a person in care.

The administrator will take over operations of the residential care section and has the ability to exercise all powers necessary to continue the operation of the facility, which includes hiring staff.

“This is a rare and unusual step but one that we feel is necessary,” says Dr. Andrew Larder, IH Senior Medical Health Officer.

“Interior Health has also brought in additional nursing staff to work at the site to help bolster the clinical leadership we feel is crucial.”

Interior Health funds 75 of 80 residential care beds and 18 of 36 assisted living suites at Summerland Seniors Village, which is owned and operated by Retirement Concepts.

In addition to the administrator, the clinical consultants brought in early December will remain at Summerland Seniors Village indefinitely.  At this time, new admissions to residential care and assisted living also remain suspended.