Lyonel Doherty, Times-Chronicle

The Town of Oliver agrees that a review of McKinney Place care home is warranted considering the COVID-19 deaths that occurred there a year ago.

Council is following up on a retired nurse’s call for a comprehensive review after 17 residents died of the virus in January of 2021.

Oliver Mayor Martin Johansen said he spoke with retired nurse Betty Lou Trimmer Bahnsen and agreed that drafting a letter to government is a worthwhile endeavour. 

Interior Health told the Times-Chronicle that a Secton 51 review of the McKinney Place outbreak was completed last year.

It stated that improvements have been made to long-term care homes in the region. These include:

  • Full vaccination of all care home staff
  • Immunization of the vast majority of care home residents
  • An urgent response process to ensure homes experiencing outbreaks have access to appropriate staffing
  • Monthly infection control inspections to identify any areas that require improvement and support

In her call for a review, Trimmer Bahnsen specifically points to the antiquated design of McKinney Place which does not allow for good infection control since residents are not in single rooms. She noted that a review should look at a cost benefit analysis for renovating the present building.