Investigations underway after some residents’ door handles removed at Courtice retirement home

A Durham Area retirement house is below investigation after an unknown variety of residents have been allegedly trapped of their rooms in an incident one seniors’ advocate calls “horrifying.”

David Chicken, president and chief government officer of Diversicare Canada, mentioned in a press release he was “deeply disturbed to study {that a} small variety of resident suite door handles have been eliminated” in assisted residing items at White Cliffe Terrace Retirement Residence positioned in Courtice, simply east of Oshawa.

“As quickly as we grew to become conscious of the incident, all residents’ door handles have been instantly reinstalled,” he mentioned. “We’re connecting with residents and members of the family to allow them to know what occurred, how actually sorry we’re, and the steps we’re taking to stop this from taking place once more. Residents and members of the family belief us to offer a really excessive normal of service to our residents and we allow them to down. We are going to do all the pieces we are able to to earn again their belief.”

He added it’s not clear how lengthy the residents have been trapped, and that can be a part of the corporate’s investigation. Chicken mentioned the final supervisor on the house has been positioned on go away and the corporate is “grateful” no residents have been harmed.

Broad Attain Communications is offering PR help for Diversicare Canada, and when requested if the people locked of their rooms had COVID-19, spokesman David Scott responded they are going to solely be offering Chicken’s assertion.

According to Durham Region Public Health’s web site, White Cliffe has had two COVID-19 outbreaks, one which began on Dec. 20 and was declared over on Jan. 9, and one other that began Jan. 15 and was declared over on Feb. 4.

Whereas there could also be some residents with cognitive impairment, comparable to dementia, who don’t perceive measures in place to cease the unfold of COVID-19, Chicken mentioned there are “strict protocols in place,” in addition to security alarms and elevated staffing. He added the corporate has despatched a senior member of the staff to overview all operations on the residence.

Lengthy-term-care advocate Vivian Stamatopoulos mentioned she’s “horrified” on the choice to take door handles off rooms, which she calls “terribly fallacious.”

“We don’t know what number of, and we don’t understand how lengthy these people have been trapped,” mentioned the affiliate instructing professor at Ontario Tech College, whose analysis focuses on household caregiving.

“It’s additionally a hearth hazard. Are you able to even think about if there was some type of emergency and so they needed to vacate the premise? There are such a lot of layers of negligence right here.”

Clarington Fireplace Chief Gord Weir mentioned emergency companies and Durham Regional Police are investigating the house because of the incident.

“As soon as we grew to become conscious of the allegations we had prevention employees attend. Durham Regional Police Companies have been notified as effectively, Durham Public Well being have been notified and an inspector assisted us,” Weir mentioned in an e mail. “An investigation is ongoing, and what I can say is all residents are protected at the moment and there are not any points with any of the rooms.”

Stamatopoulos added she wish to see the supervisor of the house fired and legal prices laid.

“Anyone who thinks that was choice shouldn’t be working with susceptible seniors, plain and easy. I feel a powerful message must be despatched to this supplier that this shouldn’t have occurred and this could by no means occur once more.”

Elric Pereira, press secretary for the Ministry for Seniors and Accessibility, mentioned in an emailed assertion the incident at White Cliffe Terrace is “utterly unacceptable and won’t be tolerated. “

“We’ve got reached out to the Retirement Properties Regulatory Authority (RHRA) to make sure an intensive investigation is carried out.”

RHRA spokesman Phil Norris mentioned in an e mail they’ve been in contact with the police concerning the matter.

“The RHRA carried out an inspection of the house on Feb. 4, 2021 because of a mandatory report,” Norris mentioned, which can be accessible on its web site as soon as it’s finalized.

“Whereas we can not speculate on what enforcement motion could entail, the RHRA has quite a few instruments at its disposal together with administrative financial penalties, orders and circumstances. At the moment, the RHRA believes that residents don’t face further danger of hurt. If at any time this adjustments, we won’t hesitate to behave instantly.”