This is a horror story about abuse, retaliation and death caused by long term care facilities, and Fraser Health employees. There are multiple levels of involvement from wayward Administrators, to the upper echelons of the B.C. ministry of health and our mothers MLA who happened to be the Attorney General at the time.
We are a small family consisting of mother, two daughters and our husbands (our father passed away in 2004). We have a large extended family in the Abbotsford area. Our mother is a long time resident of Abbotsford (70+ years). She is 83 years old and a stroke victim, now suffering from vascular dementia, and anxiety. It was with the greatest anguish that we agreed to admit her to a long-term care facility. She was residing in Assisted Living and we felt she could, with a bit more assistance, still do a lot for herself. However, Fraser Health employees decided she was too needy and forced her into a residential care home. Her anxiety increased dramatically.
Our mom was placed in a facility in Agassiz. At the facility they started drugging our mom with anti-psychotic drugs because of her anxiety, repetitiveness and her extreme wish to go back to Abbotsford. They did this without any consultation with the family and in fact behind our backs, keeping track of when we would visit so as to make sure we would not find out what they were doing. When we voiced our concerns to staff and to the resident doctor over different conditions we were noticing in our mother they made excuses or shrugged it away.
No one, including the doctor, told us they were using anti-psychotic drugs on her. (Documents obtained through FOI). It was our thought and concern that she was deteriorating very rapidly. It was only when the visiting pattern changed that we became aware of what they were doing and the slip by a novice care aid when she asked us if we'd like to take some of the drug with us before we took mom on an outing. We were caught totally off guard. We found out later the care aid got a thorough reprimand.
No one, including the doctor, told us they were using anti-psychotic drugs on her. (Documents obtained through FOI). It was our thought and concern that she was deteriorating very rapidly. It was only when the visiting pattern changed that we became aware of what they were doing and the slip by a novice care aid when she asked us if we'd like to take some of the drug with us before we took mom on an outing. We were caught totally off guard. We found out later the care aid got a thorough reprimand.
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| Cheam Village - Agassiz |
Mom then developed breast cancer (which literature suggests can be caused by or accelerated by the use of anti-psychotic drugs.) She was extremely worried about the cancer and this also increased her anxiety.
We eventually felt that the facility was not willing to work towards the best interests of our mom so Fraser Health Licensing was called as a last resort to see if they would enforce the rules and regulations about chemical restraints. They asked that the complaints be e-mailed to them. It was found out, from documents acquired through the FOI, that they forwarded these complaints (after re assuring us they would be totally confidential) to a Residential Services employee, a week and a half after it was sent to them. This employee was a long time friend of the administrator of the facility we were complaining about. We then had some e-mail exchanges with Residential Services about our dissatisfaction with the facility and they also shared these e-mails with the administrator even though they were sent as a private dialogue.
The administrator was furious at our complaints and was determined to rid herself of mom and the family that supported her, this after reiterating several times to different family members that she didn't have a problem with mom but did have a problem with me (Doreen) whom she said she would never be able to please. (I was the one that made the complaint to Licensing.) She started accusing me of all sort of things like harassing her nurses (which I did not do). When that wasn't working fast enough for her to get rid of us and she was receiving pressure from her husband and other family members ( her family owns the nursing home ) she started in on mom.
Even though mom had breast cancer and was having breast cancer surgery, they did not stop their abuse of her. A week after her surgery they were making her to mini mental tests. They continued doing these tests and other assessments even though they knew full well how much anxiety they caused her. She cried to us on the phone that she was so tired of doing all the "school work". We didn't know what she was talking about at the time as we were never told this was going on until we obtained a copy of the care file through FOI. They did these tests and other assessments without our knowledge or consent (as set out by our Representation Agreement)
Moms doctor did nothing to stop these assessments. He was fully aware how much distress and anxiety she was in when she was quizzed. Mom was aware and very upset over her failing memory. The doctors office files, pre nursing home, state these facts. The doctor did whatever the administrator of Cheam Village wanted him to do without any regard to Hilda's health or well being.
The excuse the administrator used to "get off" with Licensing for the use of anti-psychotic drugs, was that it was a medication and not a chemical restraint even though we have her on audio recording as stating that it is indeed a form of control for the "ease of staff" ie chemical restraint. One LPN at the facility related (in a personal conversation) that if a resident could not be redirected to their satisfaction within 30 minutes they were drugged. It has also been noted that there appeared to be an unusually friendly relationship between certain individuals at Licensing and the administrator. They seemed to know each other quite well.
We wanted mom moved back to Abbotsford as soon as possible to another facility as we were very concerned with her health and the retaliation from the administrator (she was the head nurse and was always in FULL charge of what transpired with residents). The administrator of Cheam Village was determined that there would be NO other options but to send mom to a Special Care Unit at another facility. She would also make sure that moms anxiety level was elevated by the repeated assessments that she would subject her to.
This would support this "Special Care" need. She also refused to control another one of the residents who would constantly agitate mom by running into her with her walker, shrieking that everything belonged to her and consequently looting moms room (as well as other residents rooms). I asked the doctor why they were picking on moms behavior when this other resident was ten times worse than mom ever was. We have the doctor on audiotape stating that this person was out of control and drugging her wasn't working anymore!!! He however didn't offer any explanation as to why she wasn't being moved to a SCU (special care unit)
This would support this "Special Care" need. She also refused to control another one of the residents who would constantly agitate mom by running into her with her walker, shrieking that everything belonged to her and consequently looting moms room (as well as other residents rooms). I asked the doctor why they were picking on moms behavior when this other resident was ten times worse than mom ever was. We have the doctor on audiotape stating that this person was out of control and drugging her wasn't working anymore!!! He however didn't offer any explanation as to why she wasn't being moved to a SCU (special care unit)
The administrator elicited the help of Licensing and Residential Contract and Services to carry out her plan. Together they perpetrated numerous lies. FOI documents acquired later confirmed this, including lies told by the resident doctor of the care home ( their "enabler"). This doctor has had a relationship with the administrator spanning many, many years and has worked very close with her in this fiasco. These lies have been distributed through out the "system". We also have hours of personal conversation audio recordings with all of the people involved, including the doctor, to preserve the truth. In one of the recordings the Administrator admits to making "phone calls" to elicit her own help to further her cause.
Then Fraser Health Residential Services employee, Sharon Dubois contacted the OPGT office to try and have our rights revoked (Representation agreement), this being the first attempt of many. She told them that we would not allow any medications for our mother. This was an entirely false accusation on her part and this did not go through at that time. The ONLY medications we were opposed to were the anti-psychotic drugs. We were always cooperative with trying to reduce mom's anxiety and always open to other medication if it was beneficial for this condition.
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| Maplewood House - Abbotsford |
We were told that Special Care and Dementia units are suppose to have a better understanding of the disease, more resources and specialized programs. The reality was that mom was stripped of all dignity and rights. She was not allowed to have a telephone (we had always talked to her on a daily basis) or access to cable tv in her room or utensils for eating (she could only have a spoon). The food was so horrible she many times would not eat it. On several occasions we brought food in to her (before this she was always a very good eater) It was served on dirty stained melamine plates and she was not afforded the luxury of a napkin.
Her bathroom was always out of the basic necessities (toilet tissue) and the bed usually found by family not to be made. There was an automatic lock on her door so if it closed when she left she could not get back in. She suffered from frequent infections that were never addressed until family members spoke up about them. One of the nurses gave her a pedicure that left her foot and ankle twice the normal size and entirely bruised. She could not put shoes or socks on and could barely walk. This they tried to cover up but family members had been there to witness the event. In short the care was atrocious!
Her bathroom was always out of the basic necessities (toilet tissue) and the bed usually found by family not to be made. There was an automatic lock on her door so if it closed when she left she could not get back in. She suffered from frequent infections that were never addressed until family members spoke up about them. One of the nurses gave her a pedicure that left her foot and ankle twice the normal size and entirely bruised. She could not put shoes or socks on and could barely walk. This they tried to cover up but family members had been there to witness the event. In short the care was atrocious!
The Facility kept our mother drugged and drooling and unable to stay awake for longer than 10 seconds if you stopped talking to her. The drugs were given by an on call GP while her own doctor was away on vacation. Her own doctor (newly appointed) had informed us of the medications he would like to try, if needed, previous to this and they didn't include anti-psychotics. She was usually found by visiting family to be asleep on a hard kitchen type chair somewhere ( as she was locked out of her room and there were very few comfortable places to sit).
Meanwhile, a new person was introduced to the SCU. She started dominating moms life. She would not leave her side even when family members were visiting and mom couldn't even go into the bathroom without her insisting on going with her. She started kissing her on the lips (witnessed, in shock, by all family members). On one occasion when moms sister and niece walked in they found this person physically beating mom and mom was cowering beneath her. Family screamed for a nurse and the explanation was that "it didn't happen too often". The nursing staff liked this woman because she took over mom and they didn't have to attend to her (short staffed!) Mom was also found sleeping and drugged on the couch at 11:30 a.m. in cloths (pajamas that were not hers (with pants on backwards) The style and size however did look like something that belonged to this other women. On another occasion mom was found in this persons room so drugged she couldn't recognize me (her daughter).
BC CEAS was very concerned with what was going on and contacted the administrator of the care facility. They also had a person go to the home who witnessed the behavior of this other resident. The Abbotsford police were eventually notified.
When moms doctor returned we asked if it would be possible to try some other medications and thus get her off the anti-psychotic drugs that the "other" doctor had prescribed. He was willing to do this, as he was aware of the dangers of long-term use of anti-psychotics.
The facility staff were angry that the doctor had added a new medication and would be discontinuing the anti-psychotic (and a nurse was inadvertently overheard ranting about it by Sharon, her daughter) The anti-psychotic was still being given along with the new medication at this time, as it needs to be weaned off of.
On the first day of a new medication being added they contacted Residential Services employee Sharon Dubois (she had continued to dictate what was to happen to mom in spite of our Representation Agreement). Sharon Dubois wanted mom on anti-psychotic drugs. (The reason for this insistence is still a mystery. She was also interfering with what mom's own doctor was prescribing). Within two weeks another assessment was ordered from Abbotsford Mental Health. The family was not informed nor did we know about it until many months later through FOI documents from the doctor's office.
We thought mom was doing absolutely terrific on the new meds as did her doctor. He also put several other people there on the same meds and had very good results. Then something seemed to go wrong. Moms levels of anxiety started to spike and the meds suddenly didn't work for the other residents on it as well. The doctor was very puzzled. Something didn't seem quite right. No one has ascertained what was going on at the home but there are many suspicions. The doctor stopped the medication and started her on a new one which was in a patch form and was administered incorrectly by the staff at the facility.
When moms doctor was gone again the facility once more took advantage of his absence and was trying to elicit another prescription for anti-psychotic drugs from their "Advisor GP" (enabler). We objected stating that moms own doctor had just started her on a new medication and it hadn't had time to work and he wanted only one medication at a time so he could tell what was working and what was not.
A letter was also faxed to this GP advisor of Maplewood stating mom's doctors' intent and a reminder that he (the GP Advisor) was not moms doctor and therefore would be treating without consent. (Later FOI documents from Abbotsford Regional hospital indicate that mom had a MAR from Maplewood with her on admittance with a number of medications all of which her doctor said he did not prescribe for her. So who did? We have been unable to get to the bottom of this.
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| Abbotdford Regional Hospital |
The Social Worker at the hospital said it wasn't them that had wanted her certified; it had come from F.H. Residential Services person Sharon Dubois.
A statement of "lies" previously told by the Resident Doctor of Cheam Village now had also surfaced at Abbotsford Regional Hospital as proof that we would not allow ANY medications for our mom (a totally false statement), thus justifying the move to certify and treat her. (Only Sharon Dubois would have know these documents existed)
The certifying doctor relied on this false information not even bothering to talk with any family members to confirm any of it. ( We had told the doctor at Emergency about Maplewood and the abuse that took place there. I would venture to guess he decided not to believe us, or did not pass the information on.)
This certifying doctor (Dr. Denescu) approached us in an extremely rude and agitated manner and declared what he had done and we no longer had any say in our moms care. He also refused to continue the medication that moms doctor had just started her on. This was an approved dementia medication by the Alzheimer's Society and Health Canada and once started is not suppose to be interrupted.
Someone also told this doctor that the OPGT would be taking over the care of our mom and be revoking our Representation agreement.
They detained our mom for a month. When the month was up there was a two week lapse in certification and then they once again detained her (after her seizure), and did not give out any paper work until 10 days later (We had no idea she was again an "involuntary" patient.) We also were not given an explanation as to why they would do this. This detainment was not carried out in any lawful manner as is stated in the Mental Health Act.
We found out that the Residential Services person, Sharon Dubois, had indeed once again applied to the OPGT to have our Representation Agreement revoked, stating neglect and interference on our part (FOI, hospital records acquired). We, however, have audio recordings and a paper trail that confirm, in fact, that we have gone to great lengths to seek treatment, and look after mom's best interests.
These drugs are also not supposed to be given to anyone with a history of breast cancer (which we informed them that she had only 7 months previous and that she had a partial mastectomy). They didn't care. We also told them (on admission) that mom has had seizures on anti-psychotics (which were taking place at the care home). The hospital didn't care about this either. Neither did they care that mom had been physically and sexually abused at the care facility. We had been labeled by Sharon Dubois and they chose to believe all her lies
A letter was drafted to Dr. Danescu at Abbotsford Regional Hospital regarding the families displeasure at his certifying mom in the manner that he did, continuing rude attitude and his treatment of our mom and our intent on sending a complaint to the College of Physicians and Surgeons etc., We asked that if he could not or would not do a better job of treating our mother that he step down and let someone else take over. He stepped down and another doctor did take over. We have no complaints about the doctor who took his place, but the anti-psychotic drugs as prescribed by Dr. Danescu were still being used.
On April 11, after being drugged on anti-psychotic medications for a month and a half mom had a major seizure and fell hitting her head so hard that the whole side of her head was bruised (as well as her shoulder) and she had an enormous "goose egg" on her head. She was supposed to have a care aide with her 24/7 so we don't know why she had fallen so hard. They did another CT scan . The hospital report states it was a seizure likely caused by the use of the anti-psychotic drugs. They then put mom on an anti-seizure drug and stated that she would have to be on it the rest of her life. The anti-psychotic drug dose was dropped down and eventually stopped by the new doctor once he was aware of the hospital report that the seizure had been caused by the medication AND that we had told them she was having small seizures prior to admittance.
Mom deteriorated even more rapidly after the seizure. She could not walk, barely talk, and was having trouble swallowing and therefore could not eat. Her weight was dropping rapidly. Her left arm and hand were totally paralyzed and contorted.
There were some days when she did not seem to know family members. Blood started coming out of her mouth. The hospital staff did nothing about this. Finally upon visual infestation it was discovered that her mouth was full of ulcers.
Finally, WE looked up the anti-seizure drug they had put mom on and discovered that she was experiencing the severe adverse effects of the drug ie. trouble swallowing, mouth ulcers, cough, lack of appetite, limb pain, etc.. This had gone on for three and a half weeks and no one at the hospital could put this together. It took a family member to make this discovery! We asked the new Doctor if it were possible to change the medication to an alternate anti-seizure drug listed. He agreed to make the change. He, however, did not think that mom would ever recuperate or walk again ,but would just continue to deteriorate.
On the new medication mom started improving almost immediately. She regained some ability to walk, swallowing improved, and mouth ulcers started to heal and she again recognized family and remembered their names. As we worked with her the left side gained some mobility. In short, her improvement was dramatic. The hospital staff should have known she was having an adverse effect to the medication. She would have died if the family had not pointed it out to them .
There was nothing accomplished at the hospital in three months. They just managed to abuse and neglect an elderly lady with dementia and make her deteriorating condition worse. Even under the heavy sedation of anti-psychotic drugs, she still had the same episodes of anxiety as when she went into the hospital. The drugs just made it so she couldn't physically move and then to top it off they restrained her with a lap belt to a bed or wheel chair (so she wouldn't fall) and much of the time would make her use a "diaper" (even though she was continent). This is nothing less than "disrespectful cruel and unusual punishment."
No care facility in Abbotsford would take our mom, because F. H. Residential Services employees, Sharon Dubois, tarnished the reputation of the family to all of them. Now they (Fraser Health) want to move her to Langley to a facility solely run by Fraser Health This is after she spent 10 months in the care home in Agassiz where she was extremely distressed that she was taken away from her home in Abbotsford (and thus they started drugging her). Our objection was that in Langley she would have no family support as this is too far for her family to drive (because of age or location) and visits would be rare. All she had left now was her family and they want to strip her of that as well.
This seems to be a personal vendetta by a few people to destroy our family unit and make our life a “living Hell". We would have to pay for being an advocate for our mother and for making a complaint to Licensing about rules and regulations that weren't being followed. All this from Public Servants that our tax dollars pay for not to mention the hundreds of thousands of dollars that would have been spent on her involuntary hospital stay!
This is what can happen if you choose to become an advocate for the elderly. It doesn't matter if you have a Representatives Agreement and/or Enduring Power of Attorney. They will find a way to strip you of your rights if you dare speak up for your loved ones. The system “ i.e.” Health Authorities will retaliate and in the end your loved one is the one to suffer.
All the Long Term Rules and Regulations for Care Homes and the Residents’ Bill of Rights that our Government has passed mean nothing and are lip service at best as there is NO ONE with the will to enforce them.
Final update: It was more difficult for family members to visit mom this far away, or was that the intent all along. We tried to be there as often as possible. Hilda would never recover from the abuse that was bestowed upon her via our health care system and in particular Sharon Dubois and Abbotsford Regional Hospital. Sharon Dubois worked tirelessly to make moms life a living hell. The last 5 months of her life were a struggle. She had frequent falls and she never fully regained her walking ability pre Abbotsford Regional Hospital. Much of her time was spent in a wheel chair. She was on constant pain medication and the uncontrollable mental/verbal tick, "Hey" and "OK" she acquired, after her seizure and fall in ARH, never left her. At least in Langley, she was not subjected to any more anti-psychotic medication. Our Mom died on November 9, 2010.
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...CALL YOUR MLA!
Continued details associated with this blog will be posted as quickly as time allows. Please check back from time to time for updates to this unbelievable abuse. There are no statements made herein that we do not have evidence of to substantiate. If you have had a similar experience please be heard, call your MLA.
Continued details associated with this blog will be posted as quickly as time allows. Please check back from time to time for updates to this unbelievable abuse. There are no statements made herein that we do not have evidence of to substantiate. If you have had a similar experience please be heard, call your MLA.
