Problems at long term care homes in spotlight as politicians vow action

Quebec Premier Francois Legault says 31 people have died since March 13 at a west-end Montreal long-term care home that is now under trusteeship.

Legault said at least five patients at the Residence Herron in Dorval, Que., died after testing positive for COVID-19.

Quebec #COVID19 update:
-289 deaths total, 48 more than yesterday
-778 people hospitalized, 211 of those in ICU
-12,292 confirmed cases
-110,823 negative test results

— CityNews Montreal (@CityNewsMTL) April 11, 2020

The news comes on a long weekend where long-term care homes across the country have been in the spotlight because of troubling reports in Ontario and Quebec.

Legault says Quebec’s Health Department has ordered an investigation and the province’s Public Security Department has also asked for a police investigation.

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Legault says the owner of the long-term care residence owns other such homes and they will all be inspected.

Legault says a regional health authority investigated Residence Herron on March 29, three days after the first death. The authority found the residence “deserted” as staff had walked off the job.

Earlier Saturday, politicians and public health officials promised new measures to further protect long-term care home residents and workers are coming very soon, as facilities caring for some of Canada’s most vulnerable grappled with “horrific” COVID-19 outbreaks over the weekend.

#COVID19 – Au Québec, en date du 11 avril 2020 à 13h, la situation est la suivante :
12 292 cas confirmés
110 823 analyses négatives (cas infirmés)
778 personnes hospitalisées
289 décès

Pour en savoir plus sur la situation au Québec : https://t.co/fiqW5E4y8R

— MSSS (@msss_qc) April 11, 2020

“People who are residents at long-term care homes are a particularly vulnerable group of Canadians and we have been working very closely with the provinces to put in place measures to protect the safety of those people even more,” Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland said at a Saturday morning news conference.

She was joined by chief public health officer Dr. Theresa Tam, who had a slew of recommendations for long-term care homes, including limiting volunteering to “essential work only,” like feeding residents.

Anyone entering such homes should wear a mask for the duration of their shift or visit, meal times should not involve residents congregating closely together and items used by many people at these facilities should be cleaned and disinfected, she added.

Their remarks came as regional health authorities in Quebec took over two facilities after a Montreal Gazette story alleged authorities found two residents dead and many others who were unfed and soiled with feces.

Regional health authority CIUSSS Ouest-de-l’Ile-de-Montreal deployed a manager to Residence Herron to ensure better control of the situation at the facility.

“Our teams are highly mobilized to ensure that residents receive appropriate care,” the health authority said. “We are aware that this is a difficult situation for the residents and their families. We are putting everything in place to ensure that the situation is under control, and it is in the process of stabilizing.”

Résidence Herron in Dorval: “Be assured that we’ve taken the situation of the CHSLD Herron very seriously. It’s why we asked to take over as trustee and contacted police. We are very conscious that this situation is difficult for residents and their families. We want to offer our condolences to the loved ones of residents who have passed away,” said Lynne McVey, President and CEO of the CIUSSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal.

Health authorities for the region held a press conference Saturday afternoon, saying that each resident has been taken charge of, bathed, fed, changed, and their prescriptions filled.

McVey saying families of Résidence Herron seniors can contact the CIUSSS directly at 514-630-2123.

“We are taking all necessary measures and assure open and constant communication with families. Our teams are onsite, fully operational and assuring the security and the well-being of residents,” continued McVey.

Meanwhile, a group home for adults with disabilities just north of Toronto, Ont., reported that an outbreak there led most personal support workers to walk off the job Thursday.

“These are incredibly horrific reports that we have all been seeing, really heart-wrenching situations,” said Freeland.

She and Tam lauded B.C., which has stopped long-term care home staff from working at multiple facilities in a bid to prevent the spread of the virus.

“I am really heartened to see not just B.C., but many other provinces announce some of these stricter measures they are putting in place to protect residents of those facilities,” Tam said.

“This is the moment to really step up on everything we can do.”

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Shortly before Freeland and Tam spoke, Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer extended his sympathies to anyone in a long-term care home who is experiencing a drop in the quality of care they may be receiving and to the loved ones of the facilities in Quebec and Ontario, where there have been reports of outbreaks, staffing problems and neglected residents.

“As someone who had a parent spend the last few years of her life in a long term care facility, I can absolutely understand where people are coming from (and) the very real heartache that they’re going through when they see their loved ones in the conditions that the reports indicate,” he said.

The incidents, he said, raised important questions about ensuring front-line workers have the protective equipment that they need and that standards are continuing to be met across the country.

_ With files from Teresa Wright.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 11, 2020.