Seniors' group launches class-action against West End Villa

A group called Seniors for Social Action Ontario has filed a class-action suit against Ottawa's West End Villa, the long-term care home with the most deadly ongoing COVID -19 outbreak in the province. As of Friday, nine residents have died, at least 52 residents and 26 staff members have tested positive and dozens more are awaiting results.

Alleging West End Villa has a history of unsafe practices, the group is calling on the province to issue a cease admission order against the home. The group is concerned that during the first phase of the pandemic, the Ontario Ministry of Long-Term Care “did not act quickly enough to save lives and is calling on the ministry to act now.”

The group said the ministry has a responsibility to stop admissions and ensure residents are moved to safer locations to prevent further infection and death. It also called for inspectors in the home, and alleged there is a documented history of problems in the facility, citing inspection reports and a class-action lawsuit filed in 2018.

In that lawsuit, a resident's family alleged systemic, negligent treatment of their loved one. Among other things, the suit alleged the woman's bandaged wounds were infested with maggots.

The group notes the last comprehensive yearly inspection at the home was June 27, 2017. It cited problems with housekeeping, medication errors, unsafe transfers of residents, call bells not being heard, residents not being assisted to eat and offensive odours so bad that one resident was unable to have visitors in their room. The report also cited rough treatment of a resident during a one-person transfer from bed.

There continued to be reports of problems at the home after that comprehensive annual report. Between October 2018 and August 2020, there were nine critical incident reports, 10 complaints and one followup inspection.

The group says one of its concerns is that everyone involved, including the public and health inspectors, is becoming “desensitized” to serious incidents in longterm care homes.

West End Villa did not respond to requests for comment.

A spokesperson for the Ministry of Long-Term Care said only homes not in COVID -19 outbreaks can accept new admissions from the community and hospital or hospital transfers, although admissions may take place in exceptional circumstances.

Spokesperson Gloria Yip said Ottawa Public Health is conducting daily on-site visits to West End Villa. The Ministry of Long-Term Care is also meeting daily with the home's licensee, the local public health unit and provincial health officials, she said.

None of the allegations in the lawsuit has been tested in court.