Public Inquiry Report On Long-Term Care Home Released

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Wednesday, 31 July 2019 14:29

The report, consisting of four volumes, made 91 recommendations to prevent similar incidents against residents living in long-term care facilities from occurring again.

WOODSTOCK - After over two years, a final report of a public inquiry looking at the practices in long term care homes across the province was released today.

Commissioner Eileen Gilese presented the findings during a media conference, which also saw family members of Elizabeth Wettlaufer's victims in attendance at the Holiday Inn in Woodstock.

Arpad Horvath was among those at the media conference. Horvath's father was one of eight victims who was killed by Wettlaufer, and the only murder she committed in London.

Horvath says while the report captures the emotion and how these issues can be solved, it still doesn't address the accountability.

"That's what I was most angry about in the inquiry that there was no accountability, but nobody wanted to take the accountability. And now with this report I hope they all don't hide behind because there are still people in organizations who are accountable, and I'm going to make them accountable."

He says he'd like action to be taken sooner than later following the release.

"I want to be looking in six months, not a year, because then it will be another year and another year, no let's look in six months, let's get this job done. We have the recommendations. We've got the very big thick book, Gilese has just been outstanding in what she's done but let's just do this in six months, let's not wait a year because given the government's track record I'm not holding my breath because I'll be a deep hue of purple. Six months, let's get it done."

The report, consisting of four volumes, made 91 recommendations to prevent similar incidents from against residents living in long-term care facilities from occurring again.

It came up with four strategies: Prevention, Awareness, Deterrence and Detection (PADD). The report states these four strategies are the organizing tool for understanding the recommendations and how they fit together.

It is recommended that long-term care homes strengthen their training and education requirements, along with improving the use of nurses through an agency. The report also calls for the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care to provide funding to long-term care homes for infrastructure changes to increase the visibility around medications and and key locations.

In the report, Gilese says she recommends governments grants ranging from $50,000 to $200,000 per long-term care home, depending on the size for these measures.

Among other key recommendations include nurse home operators limit the supply of insulin in long-term care homes, as well as the provincial government come up with a a strategic plan to develop awareness about health care killers in the system.

The full report can be read online here.

The inquiry comes after the wake of Wettlaufer's murders, which she committed over a nine year period, seven of which took place at the Caressent Care in Woodstock.

In a press release the Caressant Care in Woodstock has responded to the inquiry. President and Owner Jim Lavelle says they appreciate the work done by Justice Gilese.

“We appreciate the hard work and dedication of Justice Eileen Gillese and her team and thank them for providing thoughtful, practical recommendations that can improve the long term care system and enhance the safety, security, and quality of life for residents. We also look forward to working with our stakeholders, health care partners, and Government to address the recommendations outlined in the report so that we can, as a system, restore public confidence in long term care."