Home care provider apologises after 93-year-old woman left in bed for 20 hours

A home care company is apologizing after a 93-year-old woman was left her in bed for 20 hours on Sunday because of a shortage of personal support workers (PSW). 

Mary Doris Abela, 93, spent 20 hours in bed at her home in McGregor, Ont. this past Sunday. 

A four-hour block of respite care was scheduled at 1 p.m. but the worker called in sick, sending Bayshore Home Care Solutions scrambling to find a replacement, according to Joanne. 

"It caused a lot of stress," said the daughter Joanne Abela, because she's unable to lift Mary Doris out of bed on her own due to her own health issues. 

'Literally ran out of staff'

"Our sincere apologies go out to Mrs. Abela and her family," wrote Carolanne Gillam, the area director for Chatham, Sarnia, Windsor with Bayshore Home Care Solutions.

"We had Mrs. Abela staffed but our PSW called in sick (protocol is that we cannot send any PSW out that is ill to look after our home care clients as we cannot infect or harm our clients)," she continued.

Gillam said seven personal support workers called in sick that day. 

"We literally ran out of staff during this busy holiday season," said Gillam.

Shortage of PSWs blamed

Joanne said staffing issues have created challenges for her and her mother.

"My experience here in Windsor-Essex has not been that good," said Joanne. "Obviously the system needs more PSWs and the PSWs need to be paid more to stay."

Gilliam agreed there is a shortage of PSWs in our region. 

"There is an extreme PSW staff shortage not only in Windsor, but it is in fact a nationwide shortage.  We do not take that as an excuse."