'It's the worst I've ever seen it': Resident care 'suffering' at B.C. facility because of staff shortages
From the outside, Cranbrook’s Joseph Creek Care Village appears to be a well-maintained facility.
But inside, pictures seem to show a place in need of repairs and paint, with damaged and stained furniture.
“The chairs downstairs … when you get within a foot, two feet of them you’re overwhelmed with the smell of urine,” said long-term care resident Dianna Green.
But Green, 58, says it’s not the upkeep that most concerns her. It’s the staffing shortages, which she says are pushing the home into a “crisis.”
“It’s the worst I’ve ever seen it,” she told CTV News Vancouver.
Earlier this week, she says, there was only one licensed practical nurse for 51 residents. She says at times, residents like herself aren’t getting medications on time.
“It took me 45 minutes and I was in extreme, extreme pain and spasms,” Green said. “A few days before that I had to wait over an hour and a half for a scheduled pain medication.”
According to Green, there is often only one care aide, rather than two, in the units. When that’s the case and residents call for help, she says, it takes too long for someone to respond.
“It’s awful. It’s haunting … You can hear a person saying, ‘Help me. Help me.’ And there’s nobody around,” Green said, choking back tears.
She says residents are supposed to be bathed once a week, but if there’s not enough workers some residents will go two weeks.
CTV News spoke with several workers at the care home. None of them were willing to be identified in an interview, saying they would lose their jobs. However, they say understaffing has left them unable to fully do their work and that resident care is suffering.
Staff tell CTV News that:
- Medications are not always given on time or might be missed because it would be too late to repeat a second dose
- Wound care and vitals sometimes aren’t being done because there isn’t time
- Physio isn’t always done
- Units are temporarily being left empty if there is only one worker and they have to go to another unit to assist.
The operator of the privately run facility declined an interview with CTV News, but did acknowledge in a phone call that they have had staffing issues.
In a statement, the operator wrote that due to privacy issues, it couldn’t speak to any specific allegations.
“Golden Life Management, in conjunction with Interior Health Authority (IHA) and licencing has looked into the comments and complaints that have been brought to our attention. We take these matters very seriously as the care and well-being of our residents is of utmost importance,” the statement reads.
“We are confident in the safe, quality care that we offer all residents at Joseph Creek as well as all of our Golden Life Management Villages,” the statement concludes.
Health Minister Adrian Dix has promised to look into the situation.
“What we’ve done in other cases is to provide some supports for staff,” he said. “It’s very challenging right now across the health-care system because we’re seeing very significant increases in demand.”
In a statement, Interior Health told CTV News:
“Some substantiated concerns were identified at Joseph Creek in the summer of 2020, at which time we increased inspections and supports for this care home. Many of those concerns were addressed by the operator over the next year. “
The statement also says that Interior Health continues to “monitor and work with the operator to ensure the operator has appropriate and sustainable processes in place to keep in compliance with the (Community Care and Assisted Living) Act and (Residential Care) Regulations.”
Inspection reports for the home have noted multiple infractions in the past.
Meanwhile, Green says she hopes that help comes soon because staff can’t keep up.
“It’s like a hamster on a wheel,” she said. “They’re just running and running.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec man who threatened Trudeau, Legault online sentenced to 20 months in jail
A Quebec man who pleaded guilty to threatening Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Premier François Legault has been sentenced to 20 months in jail.
Suter scores late goal, clinches series for Canucks
Pius Suter scored with 1:39 left and the Vancouver Canucks advanced to the second round of the NHL playoffs with a 1-0 victory over the Nashville Predators on Friday night in Game 6.
The kids from 'Mrs. Doubtfire are all SUPER grown up now, and we're not OK
The adorable trio of child actors from the 1993 classic comedy 'Mrs. Doubtfire,' which starred the late and great Robin Williams, are all grown up and looking back on their seminal time together.
Parliamentary report on Emergencies Act decision is 18 months past due — and counting
The erstwhile group of senators and MPs studying the federal government's invocation of the Emergencies Act over the "Freedom Convoy" was supposed to present its findings in December. December of 2022, that is.
Hulk Hogan, hurricanes and a blockbuster recording: A week in review of the Trump hush money trial
Crucial witnesses took the stand in the second week of testimony in Donald Trump's hush money trial, including a California lawyer who negotiated deals at the center of the case and a longtime adviser to the former president.
Drone footage shows Ukrainian village battered to ruins as residents flee Russian advance
The Ukrainian village of Ocheretyne has been battered by fighting, drone footage obtained by The Associated Press shows. The village has been a target for Russian forces in the Donetsk region of eastern Ukraine.
Grandparents killed in wrong-way crash on Hwy. 401 identified
A 60-year-old man and a 55-year-old woman killed in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 earlier this week have been identified by the Consulate General of India in Toronto.
Egypt media cite progress in truce talks as Israel downplays chances of end to war with Hamas
A delegation of the Palestinian militant group Hamas was in Cairo on Saturday as Egyptian state media reported "noticeable progress" in ongoing cease-fire talks with Israel while an Israeli official downplayed the prospects for a full end to the war.
Bystander livestreams during Charlotte standoff show an ever-growing appetite for social media video
Saing Chhoeun was locked out of his Charlotte, N.C., home on Monday as law enforcement with high-powered rifles descended into his yard and garage, using a car as a shield as they were met with a shower of gunfire from the direction of his neighbor's house.