Seniors left 'vulnerable to sexual predation' in B.C. care home, nurses' college says
Speaking to CTV News anonymously, to protect her mother's identity, her daughter said the woman asked family members if they would "throw her down the stairs, dump her in the river."
“She was ripping her hair out and she was also asking us if she could go live anywhere else," she said.
Still, the daughter thought her mom was safe in her Cranbrook care home.
She wasn’t.
“The RCMP phoned my house at 1 in the morning and told me my mom had been sexually assaulted,” said the victim’s daughter.
She says she was in disbelief that another resident of Joseph Creek Care Village would do this. The incident happened in early 2020.
“Totally horrified. And you don’t want to believe it. You put your parent there to be safe and protected and cared for and it’s not happening,” the woman said.
Family members would also soon learn it wasn’t the first time it had occurred, however. They say they had not been notified of two earlier incidents involving their mom.
Joyce Turner is a former licensed practical nurse and the former regional manager for Golden Life Management, which operates Joseph Creek Care Village.
Earlier this month, the B.C. College of Nurses and Midwives entered an agreement with Turner to cancel her nursing registration. She can’t reapply for her licence for at least three years.
A notice posted online says an inquiry looked into her management of issues relating to a “male resident with a known history of sexual misconduct, who himself was (a) vulnerable resident with unmet care needs.”
The college found documentation from front-line staff of “numerous incidents of sexual misconduct perpetrated against cognitively impaired and/or otherwise vulnerable women”.
The college was critical of Turner’s handling of the incidents, "which in BCCNM's view left female residents in her care vulnerable to sexual predation."
Golden Life says Turner ended her employment with their company in May 2020.
In a statement, Julius van Wyk, CEO of Golden Life Management Corp., said that the "consent agreement and investigation were solely between the Nursing College (BCCNM) and Ms. Turner…The investigation was not regarding Golden Life or our practices. In fact, (neither) Golden Life executives nor Ms. Turner’s direct supervisor were interviewed."
The statement goes on to say that “Golden Life Management follows all reporting requirements as per the Community Care and Assisted Living Act and Residential Care Regulations. In the event of a reportable incident they are investigated in collaboration with Interior Health and/or Licensing and if required interventions and corrective actions are implemented.”
Another resident of the care facility, Dianna Green, says she had her own worries about the man accused of the assaults.
“He would walk around the facility with no clothes on at night. He would flash. He was coming into my room,” she said, adding that he was unwilling to leave when asked.
She says what happened “created a lot of fear, uneasiness, stress.”
The care home resident involved in the incident was charged with sexual assault. Crown counsel says he agreed to be bound by a peace bond and the charge was stayed.
But the victim’s family says they are frustrated he still lives at the facility, though in a different area and with tighter security.
“I definitely feel they failed to look after to my mom," the daughter said. "But I also worry about how many other people they failed to look after.”
As for the victim, her family says she is doing much better now. And they hope her dementia has allowed her to forget what happened.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Trend Line Anger, pessimism towards federal government reach six-year high: Nanos survey
Most Canadians in March reported feeling angry or pessimistic towards the federal government than at any point in the last six years, according to a survey by Nanos Research.
BREAKING Police make arrests in grandparent scam that defrauded victims out of $739K
An interprovincial investigation into an 'emergency grandparents scam' that targeted seniors across Canada has led to the arrest of 14 suspects, Ontario Provincial Police say.
Lack of detention space could force CBSA to release detainees, internal memo warns
The Canada Border Security Agency is scrambling to find space to hold high-risk detainees that are set to be transferred from provincial jails in June.
Motion to allow keffiyehs at Ontario legislature fails
A motion to reverse a ban on the keffiyeh within Queen’s Park failed to receive unanimous consent Thursday just moments after Ontario Premier Doug Ford reiterated his view that prohibiting the garment in the House is divisive.
B.C. child killer's lawyer walks out of review hearing
The lawyer representing child-killer Allan Schoenborn walked out of his client's annual review hearing Wednesday – abruptly ending proceedings marked by tense exchanges and several outbursts.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Calgary man charged with manslaughter in death of toddler
Calgary police say Winston Campbell, 45, has been charged in the death of a two-year-old girl in 2022.
'Wild, wild west.' Families say organs of deceased Alabama inmates have been removed without their consent
The state Department of Corrections and the University of Alabama at Birmingham face disturbing allegations from the families of five inmates whose organs were removed and reportedly kept without consent, according to a series of lawsuits.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.