Ministry inspections at Grace Villa uncover allegations of resident abuse, supply shortages
A worker allegedly hit a resident. Not enough clean linens and towels. A failure to meet requirements for bathing residents.
These are among the findings of Ministry of Long-Term Care inspections this summer at Grace Villa on the east Mountain. The recently published reports indicate ongoing problems at the facility, which was the site of Hamilton's worst COVID-19 outbreak with more than 230 total cases.
Forty-four residents died from November 2020 to January 2021. During that time, workers alleged that sanitary conditions deteriorated, residents were left in soiled clothes and bedding, and some died from dehydration, according to anonymized letters released by MPP Monique Taylor after the outbreak.
In the months since, some of the facility's workers said they have been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Others resigned.
When The Spectator asked for comment on the recent inspections, the home's operator declined to provide details about an incident in which a staff member allegedly hit a resident, or how Grace Villa responded to that and the other findings, citing confidentiality.
As always, we acknowledge the inspection findings from the Ministry of Long-Term Care and will review the findings in detail and make any necessary changes," said Mary Raithby, CEO of APANS Health Services, in an email.
Inspections in July and August uncovered allegations that a personal support worker (PSW) hit a resident who was cognitively impaired. The resident did not sustain any injury," the report said, noting two PSWs witnessed the alleged incident.
According to the report, the home's director of clinical services (DOC) told the inspector that the PSW - who was hired through an agency - was not trained on Grace Villa's policies on preventing abuse and neglect or the residents' bill of rights.
The report notes that during the pandemic LTC regulations were changed to streamline operations while protecting residents. New staff were required to be trained on the policies for preventing abuse and resident rights within one week of starting. The PSW told the inspector they did not receive the training before performing their duties, nor could the DOC find records of the PSW receiving training.
The same report found another incident where Grace Villa failed to ensure staff safely transferred a resident off the floor after a fall. Three staff manually lifted a resident off the floor - instead of using safety devices as per the home's policy - which could potentially lead to further injury, the inspection said.
The ministry issued three written notifications to the home in response to the findings and requested Grace Villa prepare a written plan of correction, implemented voluntarily, to ensure staff use safe methods or devices when helping residents.
Taylor, the MPP for Hamilton Mountain, where Grace Villa is located, called the news concerning."
To hear that staff are hitting residents, where are they hiring these temp staff from?" she asked.
Taylor's office received an internal complaint from the home in July and forwarded it to the ministry, which led to a second inspection.
That inspection found Grace Villa was not properly measuring or recording its air temperatures. That's significant considering Hamilton was under heat warnings multiple times this summer with humidex values forecast to be up to 40 C. The inspector noted the home was using a thermometer intended to measure surface temperatures instead of air.
The report also noted the home was short on its required stock of clean towels, peri-towels - used to clean a patient's private areas - and washcloths as recently as August in one area of the home. The day the shortage was observed, there were only 10 peri-towels in supply instead of four dozen. The washcloth delivery was only one-third full and only half-full for towels. The home's executive director told the inspector that Grace Villa was aware of the shortage, according to the report.
Grace Villa also didn't respond properly to residents' refusal to shower, the inspection shows. The report mentions two residents refused showers five times each in one month. Though the resident plans of care outlined how staff should respond, workers told the inspector the interventions didn't work. But other options were not explored, the inspector noted.
After this inspection, the ministry issued three written notifications to Grace Villa and requested the home write a plan of correction to ensure residents are reassessed and their plans of care reviewed and revised regularly.
The ministry also asked Grace Villa to prepare another plan of correction to ensure the air temperature is recorded every morning, afternoon and evening or night. All plans of correction are to be implemented voluntarily.
Maria Iqbal is a Hamilton-based reporter at The Spectator covering aging. Reach her via email: miqbal@thespec.com.