Family says they had to step in after COVID-19 leaves B.C. care home understaffed
'Everybody's being put in danger,' says daughter of patient at the Lynn Valley Care Centre
Family members of seniors at a B.C. care home say they've had to help look after residents because a COVID-19 outbreak has left the facility short-staffed.
Deanna Harlow, whose father is a resident of the Lynn Valley Care Centre in North Vancouver, says health officials haven't delivered on promises to bring in additional staff and keep the facility clean during the outbreak.
"The care home hasn't been handling it well at all," Harlow told As It Happens guest host Dave Seglins.
"They haven't maintained their staffing levels. The meals are being delivered late. ... We've got people who are just lying in bed wet. A lot of residents are calling for help incessantly. But, of course, the people who are working are just being run right off their feet and they can't get to everyone right away."
There have been eight cases of COVID-19 linked to the facility, including two family members or close contacts of a health-care worker. One elderly resident died on Sunday, marking Canada's first and only coronavirus-related fatality.
Lynn Valley did not respond to multiple requests for comment from As It Happens. A statement on its website says it is "taking every action and precaution necessary to ensure the virus is contained."
Families changing garbage, delivering food
There are more than 200 residents at the Lynn Valley Care Centre. When Harlow visited the facility on Sunday, she says there were three staff members working in total.
She says she and other family members have been delivering food, taking out garbage and more.
Health officials say most people who contract COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, will recover without complication, but it can be fatal for the elderly or anyone with a compromised immune system.
That's why Harlow is risking infection to look after her father, who is 96 years old and has dementia.
"I just can't imagine not being there," she said. "I can't leave my father out there twisting in the wind, let alone the workers who do show up."
She added, "Everybody's being put in danger right now because staffing levels are not there."
Several patients' families raised concerns in a story published Monday by CTV News.
"We were feeding the residents. We were reassuring the residents. We were helping the residents adjust to a very new routine," Debra Drew, Harlow's sister, told CTV.
Health minister 'confident we have the right resources'
Patients' families were called to a meeting Saturday with Vancouver Coastal Health officials and doctors from the Centre for Disease Control, where Harlow says they were promised increased staffing and facility-wide disinfecting three times day.
She says she hasn't seen any evidence of either.
At a press conference earlier this week, provincial health officer Dr. Bonnie Henry said staffing can be an issue during an outbreak as health-care workers either become sick or choose to self-isolate because of their close contact with infected patients.
B.C. Health Minister Adrian Dix also acknowledged staffing has been an issue at Lynn Valley, but says it has been resolved.
"As the investigation continues, we have had to work hard to ensure there are enough staff to fully support the residents on site," Dix said in a press release on Tuesday.
"We had some initial challenges but are confident we have the right resources now to move forward."
But Harlow isn't convinced. "He's been misinformed. That's not what's happening," she said.
As It Happens has reached out to the minister's office for further comment.
Working 'around the clock' to contain the virus
On its website, Lynn Valley Care Centre says it's been "working rigorously around the clock" with Vancouver Coastal Health to contain the virus.
"Public Health Officers are visiting daily to monitor the situation and working closely with our staff in measures of containment," the statement reads.
"The staff and residents have been and will continue to be tested in case they demonstrate any flu-like symptoms. Any staff member with flu-like symptoms has been told to stay at home until they are tested for COVID-19 and are cleared for work."
But families remain on edge.
Carolanne Oswald, whose 88-year-old father is a resident at Lynn Valley, says she's been "super worried" about him since a patient died on Sunday.
Her father has vascular dementia, a heart condition, vision and hearing loss, and a compromised immune system, she told CBC News in Vancouver.
"My dad is so at risk and I just feel so helpless," Oswald said.
Seven new people in British Columbia tested positive for COVID-19 Tuesday, bringing the provincial total to 39. The illness has afflicted more than 100,000 people in 100 countries around the world.
The World Health Organization labelled the health crisis a pandemic on Wednesday. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced a $1-billion package to help Canadians cope the outbreak, with half of the money going to the provinces and territories.
Harlow, meanwhile, plans to keep doing what she's been doing.
"It is what it is," she said. "We're doing everything we can to protect ourselves. Washing our hands all day long. I mean, my hands are raw. We're just carrying on, knowing there's a possibility we could contract this virus."
Written by Sheena Goodyear with files from Tina Lovegreen, Bal Brach, CBC News and The Canadian Press. Interview with Deanna Harlow produced by Kate Swoger.