Family seeks more info on care home abuse allegations

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This article was published 11/07/2022 (898 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Family members of seniors allegedly abused by staff at Oakview Place personal care home want stronger whistleblower protections and are encouraging employees to come forward with information to help vulnerable residents.

“The whistleblowers need to be protected,” said Gail Johnson, whose 91-year-old mother lives at Oakview Place in west Winnipeg. “If it wasn’t for them coming forward, we would never have known what happened — and if someone can’t come forward and tell you something’s going on or something’s wrong, that’s a problem.”

On June 21, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority revealed two health-care aides had allegedly abused 15 residents. A whistleblower alerted local management with Extendicare — the home’s operator — of the issue in February. However, nothing was done and the health authority was not informed of the allegations until approached directly by another whistleblower June 10.

The WRHA has not specified the type of abuse residents allegedly endured.

Johnson said her mother was one of the residents allegedly abused by staff.

She expressed concern information given to families has not been “all truthful or all accurate,” and worries people with knowledge may not be coming forward over fear of retaliation from co-workers and management.

“If anyone knows any more information about what’s happened to my mom or to any of the other residents who are alleged victims, please come forward. We want to make sure that you’re protected and you can feel right about coming forward,” Johnson said Tuesday.

Johnson made the comments during a media availability organized by the Manitoba Liberal Party on the grounds of the legislative building. She was joined by her husband Marty Nienhuis and children Josh and Hailey, and Dianna Klassen, whose father lived at Oakview Place until he died in January.

The past few weeks have been traumatic, Klassen said. She learned her father, David Middleton, 92, was allegedly abused the Monday following Father’s Day. The shocking news extended an already painful grieving process, she said.

Middleton lived at Oakview Place for four years and was incredibly vulnerable, Klassen said. He was wheelchair-bound. Over time, her father’s personality changed and he became more aggressive and did not want anyone touching him, his daughter said.

“These are our elders, they are the people that raised us, that loved us and who have supported us and we were there trying to support them, only to find out after the fact that they were in fact suffering horrific abuse, and it’s incredibly sad to me,” she said.

Both Johnson and Klassen said the government should have placed the Oakview Place operating licence under review. To date, the province has not committed to a licence review of the privately-owned care home.

“As soon as there were any signs of abuse and cover-up — which my family totally feels that’s what’s happened — a review should have been immediate. There should have never been a question,” Klassen said.

Liberal Leader Dougald Lamont said the Tory government must also invite witnesses to come forward, while providing assurances they won’t face retaliation.

“When that happens, that’s the sort of situation where abuse is made possible because people are more interested in covering up than they are in doing the right thing,” he said.

Family members have displayed courage in sharing their painful experience to ensure other Manitobans do not have to go through the same anguish, NDP health critic Uzoma Asagwara said. The Opposition also supports the call for a licence review and enhanced protections for whistleblowers, Asagwara said.

“We’ve seen that under this government, workers are very worried about having their voices heard and respected by the government when they bring concerns forward,” Asagwara said. “That’s a culture that this government has curated, unfortunately.”

In an email to the Free Press, Canadian Union of Public Employees communications representative David Jacks said nearly 200 members — including health-care support staff and aides — work at Oakview Place.

The union did not raise any concerns of retaliation against staff who bring forward allegations of abuse.

“Abuse is never acceptable in any circumstances,” Jacks said. “We encourage our members to report abuse to their supervisors and the Protection for Persons in Care Office confidential tip line.”

A criminal investigation by the Winnipeg Police Service is underway; an investigation by the protection office will begin following its conclusion.

Seniors and Long-Term Care Minister Scott Johnston was not made available for an interview Tuesday.

In a lengthy statement, a government spokesman said it is committed to full co-operation with all investigations related to the “appalling allegations” and will take action on subsequent recommendations to protect seniors in care.

“As that investigation is ongoing, it would be inappropriate for our government to comment further,” the spokesman said.

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca