‘Loneliness, sadness, frustration and disconnection’: Long-term care residents struggle amid staff shortages
Cheryl Hasler hoped her dad's golden years would be spent relaxing at home and playing bingo with friends. Instead, the 92-year-old is isolated nearly 24-7 in his room at a long-term care home, sometimes left to sleep in nothing but a diaper and confined to his wheelchair all day.
He's ending his life very unhappy and very mistreated and very neglected," said Hasler. He doesn't deserve that."
Throughout the pandemic, long-term care homes across Canada have often been exposed as places where residents receive substandard care, sometimes because care homes are cutting costs, other times because staff are overworked, underpaid and burning out.
Staff shortages are most in focus during the current COVID wave, largely fuelled by the rapidly-spreading Omicron variant.
The Spectator has heard from a handful of residents and their family members about the impact of staff shortages at Hamilton long-term care homes. Many were not willing to speak on the record, concerned about their loved one's privacy or about the repercussions of being a whistleblower. Not everyone had horror stories - many wrote to say they were happy with the care their relatives were receiving and praised the hard work of staff.
Hasler also praised the staff. But she also felt the need to speak out.
She said her father's quality of life has rapidly deteriorated in recent months since moving into a long-term care home. He is at Arbour Creek Care Home in east Hamilton, site of an ongoing COVID outbreak. Her dad, Edward, recently tested positive for COVID. But things were bad even before then.
He has gone from thriving man to a man that has given up on life," Hasler said.
Hasler said her dad's dentures recently disappeared, meaning he is on a soft-food only diet. His clothes have gone missing when they're being laundered. Before entering long-term care a few months back, he could walk, but he is now confined to his wheelchair, she said.
In a statement to The Spectator, Arbour Creek said it has been in touch with Hasler and that the home has zero tolerance for any conduct that puts the safety of our residents at risk."
As with many families who have loved ones in long term care they would like to see improvements to the system, including more staff and an easier admission process," said Arbour Creek executive director Paula White. While I cannot speak to a specific resident, I can share that the home has a staffing plan in place that meets the care needs of the residents."
Hasler said she doesn't know who to blame for her father's deterioration. She knows personal support workers (PSWs) in the home are doing the best they can, but she believes they're overworked and understaffed. She would like to see the province bring the military back into homes - or anything that could help mitigate staff shortages.
The Ministry of Long-Term Care would not comment on the possibility of bringing in the military.
The ministry is in regular contact with the homes to address any staffing shortages and works with Ontario Health, local public health, hospitals, and community agencies to address immediate safety needs," reads a ministry statement.
At another care home with an outbreak, St. Joseph's Villa in Dundas, resident Peter Bowman says he's making do.
Bowman, 72, said he's been mostly confined to his room for the past 20 days, but he's keeping himself entertained watching TV, chatting on the phone and playing online poker - though he adds he hasn't made any money.
But some on his floor are struggling.
They're going stir crazy," he said. People with dementia especially are having difficulty staying in their rooms, and staff are routinely having to shepherd them back after they venture into hallways.
He added that the home is relying on more temporary workers, people who don't know residents' schedules and preferences like regular staff.
We bond with our PSWs," said Bowman. They know our routines."
In a statement, John Woods, president of St. Joseph's Villa, acknowledged that for residents, it is nicer to be with a small group of staff they know and have built trusting relationships with over time.
Sadly this is not always possible because of the staffing shortages caused by the pandemic," Woods said. We did not use agency staff before the pandemic. Today temp agency workers help us fill staffing gaps and when they work at the Villa they are guided by our staff. We value the contribution that they make."
The Ontario Association of Residents' Councils (OARC) says one issue they're hearing from residents is lack of access to showers and proper bathing. That issue was recently addressed in a memo from the Ministry of Long-Term Care to long-term care homes, reminding homes that residents should have access to showers and baths, including when a home or areas of a home are experiencing an outbreak."
The OARC says residents who are isolated amid outbreaks are also reporting feelings of loneliness, sadness, frustration and disconnection."
Some residents have shared that they continue to dine in isolation, eating unappetizing meals off of disposable plates," read a statement from the OARC.
Meanwhile, outbreaks in Hamilton continue to grow.
Heritage Green Nursing Home has the largest outbreak, with public health reporting 110 cases, though it is not clear how many cases are active. The outbreak was first declared Jan. 5. The home has not responded to repeated requests for comment.
Hamilton public health says staff inspected Heritage Green and advised the home to complete education for staff on proper donning/ doffing of N95 respirators and ensuring that staff are aware of extended use policies." The inspection also identified issues relating to the need to ensure residents are supported in wearing face masks; no signage posted to indicate the unit was in outbreak; no signs indicating the personal protective equipment required to be worn in outbreak units; a requirement to conduct regular IPAC self-audits at minimum once a week when the home is in an outbreak.
The home is now addressing the issues identified, public health said.
Katrina Clarke is a reporter at The Spectator. katrinaclarke@thespec.com