'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
Widow looking for answers after Quebec man dies in Texas Ironman competition
The widow of a Quebec man who died competing in an Ironman competition is looking for answers.
Tom Mulcair: Park littered with trash after 'pilot project' is perfect symbol of Trudeau governance
Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair says that what's happening now in a trash-littered federal park in Quebec is a perfect metaphor for how the Trudeau government runs things.
World seeing near breakdown of international law amid wars in Gaza and Ukraine, Amnesty says
The world is seeing a near breakdown of international law amid flagrant rule-breaking in Gaza and Ukraine, multiplying armed conflicts, the rise of authoritarianism and huge rights violations in Sudan, Ethiopia and Myanmar, Amnesty International warned Wednesday as it published its annual report.
Photographer alleges he was forced to watch Megan Thee Stallion have sex and was unfairly fired
A photographer who worked for Megan Thee Stallion said in a lawsuit filed Tuesday that he was forced to watch her have sex, was unfairly fired soon after and was abused as her employee.
Amid concerns over 'collateral damage' Trudeau, Freeland defend capital gains tax change
Facing pushback from physicians and businesspeople over the coming increase to the capital gains inclusion rate, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and his deputy Chrystia Freeland are standing by their plan to target Canada's highest earners.
U.S. Senate passes bill forcing TikTok's parent company to sell or face ban, sends to Biden for signature
The Senate passed legislation Tuesday that would force TikTok's China-based parent company to sell the social media platform under the threat of a ban, a contentious move by U.S. lawmakers that's expected to face legal challenges.
Wildfire southwest of Peace River spurs evacuation order
People living near a wildfire burning about 15 kilometres southwest of Peace River are being told to evacuate their homes.
U.S. Senate overwhelmingly passes aid for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan with big bipartisan vote
The U.S. Senate has passed US$95 billion in war aid to Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan, sending the legislation to President Joe Biden after months of delays and contentious debate over how involved the United States should be in foreign wars.
'My stomach dropped': Winnipeg man speaks out after being criminally harassed following single online date
A Winnipeg man said a single date gone wrong led to years of criminal harassment, false arrests, stress and depression.