RIGOROUS INSPECTIONS
Government will conduct ‘extremely rigorous’ inspections of facilities
Ontario is taking over management at five long-term-care homes //
TORONTO—Ontario is taking over management of four of the five long-term-care homes that were the subject of a Canadian Armed Forces report alleging “horrific” conditions, including insect infestations, poor hygiene and aggressive behaviour toward residents.
The government will be conducting “extremely rigorous” inspections of those homes, as well as 13 others facing challenges managing COVID-19, and will be doing random spot checks across the province, Premier Doug Ford said Wednesday.
“We’re looking at all options,” he said.
“We’re fully prepared to take over more homes if necessary. We’re fully prepared to pull licences, to shut down facilities if necessary.”
The province has started the takeover process at Eatonville Care Centre, Hawthorne Place Care Centre, Altamont Care Community, Orchard Villa, as well as Camilla Care Community, which was not in the report but has seen 61 residents die during a COVID-19 outbreak.
Ford said he is also expediting an independent commission into long-term care and is hopeful it will be established in July.
The Ontario Long Term Care Association said it supports provincial efforts to investigate any abuse or neglect, but also called for the government to help in other ways.
“Inspections are important measures, however they do not provide the immediate resources and hands-on support homes urgently need on the front lines of the fight against COVID-19, nor do they address long-standing systemic and structural issues exacerbated by the pandemic that threaten its sustainability,” CEO Donna Duncan said in a statement.
The association wants to see a greater supply of personal protective equipment, more rapid testing, infection control help for older homes, more supports from hospitals and expedited capital funding.
Ontario called in military assistance last month for five long-term-care homes dealing with outbreaks, and the Canadian Armed Forces members said they observed cockroach infestations, aggressive feeding that caused choking, bleeding infections, and residents crying for help for hours.
Ford has also said Ontario has launched a “full investigation” into the allegations and will share the results with police so they can look into any possible criminal charges.
The province previously appointed hospitals to take over the management of two longterm-care homes that have been unable to contain COVID-19.
Four of the five homes in the military report are private, but Ford has said creating a fully public system wouldn’t be feasible without financial help from Ottawa.
The number of long-termcare homes dealing with COVID-19 outbreaks dropped to 135 on Wednesday from 150 the day before.
According to Ministry of Long-Term Care data, 1,587 residents and six staff members have died due to COVID-19. More than 200 residents alone have died at the five homes where the military has been assisting. Orchard Villa has now recorded 69 COVID-19 deaths, while Altamont has recorded 52 and Eatonville 42.
Hawthorne Place has seen 43 residents die — more than double the number of fatalities at the time military help was requested, and four more than Tuesday. Eleven residents have died at Grace Manor. That home is now meeting certain conditions, Ford said.
Other allegations in the military’s report included failure to isolate COVID-19-positive patients, stage four pressure ulcers (in which the damage can extend down to bone), expired medication, patients being left in soiled diapers, leaving food out of reach so residents miss meals, and “significant” fecal contamination in resident rooms.
The military report said the province wants to transition military support from those homes where the situation has stabilized, and is looking to Downsview Long Term Care Centre as the next location. That home has seen 52 deaths, up from 40 last week.
More than half of Canada’s national parks — including Banff in Alberta, Pacific Rim in British Columbia and Cape Breton Highlands in Nova Scotia — are to reopen next week.
Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson says 29 of the 48 national parks will reopen for day use on June 1, and there will be access to washrooms.
“It’s an opportunity for folks, particularly those who live reasonably close to national parks, to be able to get out in nature in a manner that can allow physical distancing,” he told The Canadian Press.
All national parks, historic sites and marine conservation areas have been closed since the end of March to slow the spread of COVID-19.
Wilkinson said parks such as Banff, Jasper and Waterton in Alberta will open day-use areas, trails and roads to visitors.
In Banff, the town and many of its businesses have been preparing for a June 1 reopening.
“This has been devastating for our town that relies solely on tourism as our economy,” said Mayor Karen Sorensen, adding it was difficult to ask visitors to stay away.
“We wanted to make sure we had protocols in place to make it safe not only for our community, but also for our visitors.”
The town’s council decided Monday to close two blocks of its often-crowded main street, Banff Avenue, to vehicles in order to make more room for pedestrians.
“If ... people need to line up to get into one of our businesses on Banff Avenue, there will be space,” Sorensen said.
“There will be space for some outdoor patio seating and some outdoor retailing opportunities and there will still be space for outdoor pedestrian flow.”
Banff is the country’s busiest national park, with about four million visitors annually.
Other national parks reopening June 1 include Riding Mountain in Manitoba and Grasslands in Saskatchewan.
Wilkinson said some parks, including many in Northern Canada, will remain closed to reduce travel to areas sensitive to the spread of COVID-19.
“There’s also some of the parks that are co-managed with First Nations, like Haida Gwaii, where the First Nation has asked that the park not be reopened,” he said.
Camping, he said, won’t be allowed in national parks until at least June 21.
The British Columbia Parks website crashed soon after it opened summer bookings for provincial campsites Monday, while Alberta Parks saw nearly 40,000 campsite bookings on its first day of rebookings.