Advertisement

Worrying times for those with loved ones in care homes

The Ontario government is taking over the management of five long-term care homes in the Toronto area after the Canadian Armed Forces detailed horrific conditions in some of the facilities where their members were deployed to assist.

The disturbing military account includes reports of cockroaches, rotten food, residents left in soiled bedding and staff reusing medical equipment used on COVID-19 patients.

Family members with loved ones in long-term care in Ottawa say they have concerns, too.

Betty Yakimenko's mother Elsie Stadler, 83, lives in the Madonna Care Community in Orléans, where more than 40 residents and one staff member have died. Alison Guertin-Keary's brother James Guertin, 61, is a resident at Carlingview Manor, where there have been more than 50 coronavirus-related deaths.

Yakimenko and Guertin-Keary shared their thoughts Thursday with Ottawa Morning host Robyn Bresnahan. Their conversation has been edited for length.

What was your reaction to the military findings about the conditions of the care homes? Betty?

Horrifying. It's unbelievable. But at the same time, because of staffing issues, some of it doesn't surprise me.

Suzanne Canning
Suzanne Canning

Did it make you worry about your own mom?

Yes it does, because we can run into the same issues up here as well, where people are not being fed within a reasonable time, their basic personal care is not being attended to within a reasonable time. It comes down to staffing issues. There are good people there, but they can only work with [the] support that is offered to them.

How is your mom doing? Considering her home has been battling COVID-19 cases?

She's OK. She's tested negative. We joke amongst the family and say she's made of Teflon and it just slides right off her. But it's really hard because like everybody else, we can't get in there to see for ourselves. We can only go on what staff are telling us.

Submitted
Submitted

Alison, what was your reaction to the reports from the military about the care homes?

I was not surprised at all. Many of the issues existed in Carlingview before COVID-19. We had repeatedly reported cockroaches. Certainly staffing is an issue. These workers are overworked and underpaid. Carlingview is [one of the] the hardest-hit [homes] in eastern Ontario. The numbers just continue to increase. I wish the Canadian military would have been sent into this home because it is in crisis.

When you were considering putting your brother into a care home, how was it sold to you? You must have been confident enough at the time to put your brother in there.

My niece was the one who found Carlingview. He was on a fixed income and the availability was immediate. Had I known the situation there? To be honest, I was very unaware of the horrific conditions until I began this journey. To move him once we had him there was nearly impossible because of waiting lists elsewhere and because he's on a fixed income.

Betty, how useful do you think the independent commission will be in being a catalyst for change in long-term care homes in this province?

I'm hoping it'll be useful, but for myself I get tired of hearing there are all these reports and studies. We just need to do something. The government or whoever needs to move on fixing these issues. Staffing is critical. Communication is next to nil. It needs to be fixed.

Francis Ferland/CBC
Francis Ferland/CBC

You say they need to do something, Betty. What would that something be?

First off they need to hire more staff. They need to pay them better on a permanent basis. When you have one personal support worker for 10 to 12 residents, and they're expected to get them up in the morning and get them dressed and bathed and cared for and then down to breakfast? That's a little bit outrageous. The residents need to be treated better and staff needs to be treated better in order to move forward.

Betty, what is it like picturing your mom there?

It's difficult. We say she would be horrified, but unfortunately she's past that stage. She doesn't really know who we are anymore, but she would be horrified. We've had two FaceTime calls with her and it's hard to see her where she is. Before COVID, we were going in just about every day to her care for her ourselves. We were going in the evenings to feed her and care for her, and knowing that she's not getting that? We hired somebody to care for her as well three nights a week. You shouldn't have to do that. You're paying that kind of money, you shouldn't have to hire somebody to go in and provide care.

Justin Tang/Canadian Press
Justin Tang/Canadian Press

Alison, if you had a message to those who are caring for your brother right now, what would you say to them?

I know that they're doing the very best under very difficult circumstances. I know he's frustrated as are probably many residents. My brother is only 61 so he's one of the younger residents. He does have his faculties but clearly he doesn't really understand why we're not allowed to go see him. My issue is not with the workers. My issue is with Revera and the government. Something needs to be done. The number of deaths is increasing weekly at Carlingview. I see no light at the end of the tunnel.