Health authority apologizes after hospital sends blind senior to Downtown Eastside shelter

The Fraser Health authority has issued an apology after 86-year-old Gwendalyn Deraspe was released on Tuesday from Ridge Meadows hospital and sent in a cab by staff to live at a Downtown Eastside women’s shelter.

James Caya, Deraspe’s son-in-law, tells CTV News that she was in the hospital for several months dealing with multiple issues including heart disease, mobility problems and cataracts. He said he urged staff to reconsider sending her to the shelter.

“She, at that point, said why don't you just give me a pill and let’s end this right now, and I will not be a burden to anyone else,” said Caya. “So that gives you a level of a mental state.”

Caya said his family doesn’t have the financial means or medical expertise to watch over Deraspe.

“We can't provide that level of care. She needs constant help, or at least assisted living help,” said Caya. “She’s in dire need of medical help. We can’t afford to pay for that.”

Caya followed the cab to the shelter where the executive director told the driver that the shelter wasn’t the right fit for Deraspe to live.

“We understand that the Downtown Eastside is no place for an 86-year-old blind woman who has absolutely no family or connections in this community and has no place being here,” said Alice Kendall, DTES Women’s Shelter executive director.

Kendall says the shelter doesn’t have proper staffing and resources to care for someone with Deraspe’s medical needs.

“They [the hospital] had contacted us the day before. We had told them this is not an appropriate place to send [Deraspe],” said Kendall.

Deraspe was re-routed back to Ridge Meadows hospital. Fraser Health sent a statement to CTV News.

“We failed to confirm ahead of time whether the shelter had an appropriate bed available to the patient,” said Nick Eagland, a senior communications consultant with Fraser Health. “We should have done better and connected the patient with appropriate housing supports. We are truly sorry for this mistake."

Kendall tells CTV News that vulnerable seniors from different regions of the province have been sent to her shelter before.

She cited multiple examples including RCMP allegedly bringing over a woman from Nanaimo with Alzheimer's, and another woman with two broken legs.

“This story is kind of go on and on, and we keep telling the health authority please don't bring women here,” said Kendall.

FALLING THROUGH THE CRACKS

Deraspe, originally from England, lived in Canada for more than thirty years and was married to a Canadian who died earlier this year. However, she never obtained citizen or permanent resident status.

“She had no status and none of the documentation was done when she arrived,” said Caya. “Because of that, she has no MSP. So no medical, no pension, no nothing. So she was left in quite a desolate situation.”

The statement from Fraser Health also clarified that in order to be eligible for subsidized home and community care services, a person must be a Canadian citizen (or have permanent resident status or have been issued a temporary resident permit by the federal minister for immigration).

Fraser Health says Deraspe is back at Ridge Meadows hospital while staff are working to connect her with ‘appropriate housing supports.’

While Caya sees Fraser Health’s apology and statement as a positive step, he’s still getting over what he describes as a horrifying ordeal.

“It's something's wrong with the system for sure,” said Caya.