On Tuesday, Gina Trinidad, COO of Community Health and Long-Term Care Services with WRHA, confirmed the investigation into allegations of abuse at the Extendicare Oakview Place personal care home in Winnipeg. “We are deeply saddened and disappointed by these serious allegations and the process that the facility initially followed to investigate the concerns,” Trinidad told the media. He said the Winnipeg Police Department is currently in the early stages of a criminal investigation into allegations that affect 15 residents of the house. Trinidad said the WRHA would not release details of the allegations until the investigation was completed. The Winnipeg Police Department confirmed that an investigation was under way, but could not provide further details.
HEALTH ASSISTANTS REMAIN WORK FOR FOUR MONTHS: WRHA
The WRHA said an informant came to Extendicare’s local office in February with allegations of ill-treatment by two health care assistants. However, WRHA was informed only four months later when it was approached by another informant on 10 June. Trinidad confirmed that only in June the two health care assistants were released. When WRHA learned of the allegations, Trinidad said it contacted police and the Office of Personal Care and ensured that the two health care assistants were immediately released. Trinidad told the media that the information at the moment is that these allegations are individual to the two staff members.
“I FEEL SICK WITH MY STOMACH”: FAMILY FORMER RESIDENT OF OAKVIEW
When Jennifer Shaw heard the allegations on Tuesday, she said she felt like vomiting. “I feel sick to my stomach,” he said. “I knew that once I saw Extendicare, I did not have to wonder if it was somewhere else, I knew it was there.” Shaw’s grandmother, Grace, lived in Oakview Place for two years before she died of a stroke in May 2020. Shaw said she was concerned about her grandmother, who was living with dementia, and the care she received at home. Shaw remembers occasionally finding bruises on her grandmother’s face and body and sometimes having to clean her grandmother herself after realizing that she had been left with food all day. However, Shaw said her concerns were never addressed. “When we went to see my grandmother, we left hoping that these people who cared for her would take care of her properly and we do not know if that happened,” he said. “When we were there it was okay, but when you leave you do not know what is happening.” Shaw said she worked as a health care assistant at Oakview Place between 2004 and 2008 and had concerns at the time. When her grandmother moved in, Shaw hoped things would get better – she says they did not. “From working there and seeing things happen, and then having my grandmother there – it was dirty all the time, there were people in the hallway shouting all the time and asking for help and sometimes they lacked staff. “ Trinidad said the WRHA had made two unannounced visits to Oakview Place since the allegations came to light. “The results have been generally positive and the reviews on our site have shown that the care provided is what we expect from service providers,” he said.
EXTENDICARE APOLOGIZES FOR THE “DESTRUCTION” OF THE RECOVERY PROCEDURE
Sandra Goers, chief business officer for Western Canada and regional director for Manitoba Extendicare, said there was a “collapse” in the internal investigation launched by Extendicare in February. Among those disasters, Goers said only one family was informed of the allegations. “I’re not going to sit here in front of you and justify any excuses,” Gers said. “We wholeheartedly apologize for what happened.” Goers said a new manager has been placed in the house after the person who previously had the role decided to leave the organization. Goers said she also took on the role of regional director for the Manitoba Extendicare. -with files by CTV’s Jill Macyshon
