Saint-André seniors home owner blames failure on government investigations
A special care home in the northwestern New Brunswick community of Saint-André is closing in October because government investigations have driven away residents, the owner says.
But a seniors advocate says there are concerns about finding new homes on short notice for the 37 residents who remain.
Cecile Cassista, the executive director of the Coalition for Seniors and Nursing Home Residents' Rights, said she approached the government after hearing from people worried for family members at the Résidence du Bonheur.
"They were only given a very short notice and there's really no place for them to go," Cassista said.
She said Résidence du Bonheur is a private care home, and the costs for housing seniors can vary, though a government representative told her such homes in the north of the province charge no more than $77 a day.
"You know there is a lot of anxiety," she said. "You know for these seniors, to have to go through that, moving them is not an easy thing to do and I can only imagine how stressful it is for them."
Concerns about care
Cassista said she also heard complaints about the quality of care at the home, and about staff walking out after not getting paid.
One person told her that because of staffing shortages, call bells inside the rooms were hung higher so the residents can't reach them.
"People were complaining about meals and medication," she said. "I am very concerned as an advocate that seniors are not going to be treated well, are not able to get staff if they need assistance."
She said the Department of Social Development assured her that it would investigate conditions at the home and also help the seniors find new homes.
In an email, a spokesperson confirmed the department is working with families to find permanent housing for all of the residents.
The department would not comment on any previous investigations into care at the home but said Social Development "takes the health and well-being of seniors and adults with disabilities extremely seriously."
Asked about the reasons the home was closing, the email referred questions to the owner of the residence.
"It was her decision to close," it said.
Short on residents, staff
April Roussie said the home north of Grand Falls is scheduled to close on Oct. 20 because she can no longer afford to keep it open.
Roussie accused Social Development of scaring away her residents.
"Residents, the community, when you are under investigation, it makes people scared," she said. "Of course, I am not able to keep up."
Roussie said department staff investigated her residence several times because of complaints, many of which she felt were unsubstantiated.
One was about hot dogs being served as a meal, but she said she only served them once and offers a five-week menu.
Asked about access to the bells, she said patients have them in every room, and can ring them by either pressing a button or hauling on a cord, which goes "right to the ground."
Roussie said the Social Development Department has not supported her, instead showing up without notice and questioning her staff and patients.
She doesn't think the patients always understand the questions or they are frightened into answering them.
Roussie said she's short on staff after people left because she's not able to pay them.
Others work for a minimum salary, she said.
"I've been calling and calling Social Development to get them to help me," she said. "They have not been helping me, not at all.
"If somebody complained about something, I think Social Development should have worked with me as partners, not against me.
"They took my dream and turned it into a nightmare."
