Residents moving out of troubled Floralies long-term care homes in Montreal

The West Island health authority has started relocating nearly 200 residents out of two long-term care homes that were the subject of an investigation last year into abuse allegations. 

Workers and residents at the Floralies LaSalle and Floralies Lachine homes learned about the move on Monday.

The move was "necessary to ensure the well-being, health and safety of the residents," Najia Hachimi-Idrissi, associate president and CEO of the CIUSSS de l'Ouest-de-l'Île-de-Montréal, said at a news conference Tuesday. 

The decision comes after both homes were put under provincial trusteeship last September and a streptococcus A outbreak left at least six people dead.

"Each resident will be choosing where they would like to move," Hachimi-Idrissi said.  "It's really a personalized approach to help direct residents toward homes that meet their needs."

There are 56 private seniors' residences (RPAs) on the West Island but the entire Montreal network of homes would be available, she said. 

Hachimi-Idrissi said the CIUSSS is prepared to carry out the move in four weeks but would follow "the rhythm of the residents and their families."  

Both Floralies residences require important renovations to meet the needs of residents and CHSLD standards, said Jean-François Miron, associate director-general of the CIUSSS and the temporary administrator of the homes. 

"Since we don't own these buildings — they're privately owned — it's not something in our power to change," Miron said at the news conference. "What becomes of the future of the Floralies belongs to the owners."

'I don't think the residents were safe there'

Lorie Docker's mother lived at the Floralies residence in Lasalle between for about five months starting in November 2021.

During that time, Docker said her mother lost about 30 pounds. The family moved her to another home in March of last year, after she fell, hit her head and waited more than 24 hours before being sent to hospital.

Docker said her mother never recovered after that. She died last November.

"She never walked again. She really never communicated much after that. She never regained her strength. She never gained any weight," she said. "She lived but she was just surviving."

Docker said she welcomes the news that residents will be relocated.

"I don't think the residents were safe there," she said. "All the residents that I ever saw when I was there, they couldn't care for themselves and they weren't getting the care."

Paul Brunet, head of the Quebec Council for the Protection of Patients, said moving patients is not going to make them safer. It's going to make them sicker, he said, and not knowing where they are going is going to make them anxious.

This CIUSSS has been in charge of Lakeshore Hospital, where issues have arisen, and it was the direct authority during the pandemic-related disaster at the now defunct CHSLD Herron in Dorval, Brunet said. 

"Maybe it is pure bad luck, but it doesn't look very good in terms of administration of those premises and the administration of caring about people," said Brunet.

"How come I am still talking about this today?"

Move 'worrisome,' Floralies managers say

The management of the residences said in a statement they were shocked by the announcement. They called the situation "very worrisome" given the impact the move would have on residents.

"For many seniors, the Floralies residences are the last residence of their life," reads the statement. "They are now being told that they will be uprooted, against their will, which considerably changes their life choices." 

Throughout the move, each resident will be paired with a worker to identify their needs and to answer their questions and concerns, according to the regional health board. 

The health board also said on-site psychosocial assistance would be available at all times for residents in need. 

In August 2022, the Health Ministry launched an investigation into abuse allegations at Floralies LaSalle and Floralies Lachine. 

A report by former Quebec City regional health board CEO Michel Delamarre produced 21 recommendations after concluding the health boards overseeing Floralies LaSalle and Floralies Lachine had failed to act soon enough.