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A man from Weyburn is waiting for answers on if he will receive funding for end-of-life care from the provincial government.
“It is an absolutely deplorable situation,” said NDP critic for seniors Keith Jorgenson.
Fred Sandeski, needing care for his terminal illness, was put in respite care at a special care home in Weyburn after his sole caregiver and wife Teresa needed kidney stone surgery, according to an NDP news release.
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The policy allowed Sandeski to stay at the care home for free for one month.
At the end of his month-long stay, his family found themselves struggling to pay the $45-a-day fee for Sandeski to continue receiving care.
Jorgenson said the family was contacted by the Ministry of Health to assess Sandeski treatment needs. Later, he said provincial government members told them he would no longer qualify for end-of-life care because he wasn’t “sick enough.”
Jorgenson said this is a problem that could be fixed easily.
“It costs Jeremy Cockrill $0 to phone this man, right?” Jorgenson said. “Doesn’t cost him anything.
“It takes five minutes out of his day to phone a dying man. Frankly, it makes me angry that he has not bothered to do that.”
In the news release, the NDP said Sandeski’s doctors have said he is unlikely to live past January 2025.
In a statement from the Ministry of Health, it said it wouldn’t give details on the status of Sandeski’s case.
“The Ministry of Health is committed to providing quality care and ensuring individuals receive the support they need, when and where they need it,” read the statement.
“In collaboration with the Saskatchewan Health Authority, the ministry works with patients to identify the most appropriate level of care. Services are designed and delivered based on each person’s unique needs.”
It added that respite care is meant to provide temporary relief to families and primary care providers that includes a standard fee for medications and some supplies.
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