Family wants to see loved one in Windsor long-term care with COVID-19 outbreak

Katrina Simonato is concerned about her 75-year-old mother who has dementia and is living in a Windsor long-term care home with one of the worst COVID-19 outbreaks in the region. 

As of Thursday evening, The Village at St. Clair reported 105 cases, with 61 residents and 44 staff ill with the disease.

While the home scrambles to bring in additional support and fill staffing vacancies, the Ministry of Long-Term Care told CBC News in an email Thursday that it has staff on site helping the home, including local public health inspectors, three physicians, along with agency nursing and personal support workers. 

Meanwhile, in a letter to families posted on the home's Facebook page Wednesday, it acknowledged a "lapse" in its use of personal protective equipment during an event last week.

In the letter, the home admitted that a staff member dressed up as Santa and took photos with residents but was not wearing the appropriate personal protective equipment.

The home has since deleted the post. 

Simonato told CBC News that since the outbreak was declared on Dec. 8 she and her siblings have not been able to go into the home, nor has the home returned any of their phone calls. 

"We've sent out emails, called, we went on Facebook ... they haven't returned any response, nothing," she said, adding she hasn't spoken with her mom since Dec. 4. 

At this time, Simonato says she's been told that her mom and the others on her floor have all tested negative for COVID-19. 

But she said she would still like to see her mom and know she's doing OK. 

"We need to see for ourselves, you can't believe what they're saying because if there was staff there, like they're saying that there is, then somebody would be picking up the phone, somebody would be there answering the calls," she said. 

Simonato said they managed to get a hold of a nurse Thursday, but only after her sister called repeatedly every 10 minutes. 

"My mom can't speak for herself, she can't care for herself, she can't even dial 911 so we want answers and where's the Ministry of Health, why are they not helping them?" she said. "This has to be everybody's responsibility." 

Home says it's hiring more staff

In a statement to CBC News Thursday, the VP of people at Schlegel Villages Christy Parsons said the home said it has brought in staff from a variety of sources to fill the vacancies of staff who are self-isolating, including: 

• Acquiring registered nursing support on infection prevention and control from Hotel-Dieu hospital. 
• Onboarding three staff members from the local health integration network. 
• Hiring 25 full-time agency staff to fill personal support worker, registered practical nurse and registered nurse roles. 
• Bringing in seven support office team members. 

Parsons said they are also offering all staff a hotel room to self-isolate from their families and providing staff with all the appropriate PPE, including goggles, gloves, gowns, masks, face shields and N-95 masks. 

The Ministry of Long-Term Care also told CBC News that it is taking concerns from the community and staff "very seriously" and that it has "been in regular contact with the home" during the outbreak. 

"Together, we are taking action to support the homes to improve infection prevention and control measures, shore up staffing and ensure adequate supplies of PPE," the statement reads.