WARNING: This article contains graphic content that some readers might find disturbing.
EDMONTON – Members of one Alberta family are demanding action after their elderly mother, stricken in care with infected bed sores, was left untreated for so long her flesh began to blacken and decay.
The case involved 73-year-old Violet MacDonald, who died on Oct. 27, but was a resident at McKenzie Towne Care Centre, a government-funded care centre in Calgary.
“I’m here to tell her story today with the hope that changes can be made so no one ever has to endure the abuse that my mother did,” said Cassie Liska, MacDonald’s daughter.
MacDonald was hospitalized, at Liska’s insistence, after her mother’s bedsores became severely infected after she was left in a soiled diaper for two days.
“They were never told the bed sores were as bad as they were when they ended up in hospital,” explained Wildrose seniors critic Kerry Towle. “So, they trusted the health care professionals to deal with this.”
Pictures handed out to media show MacDonald’s buttocks were black from decayed flesh. MacDonald was in and out of hospital for much of the rest of this year and died in late October.
“From December 26, to when she entered in hospital in early February, by the time she entered the hospital, she was transferred with a urinary tract infection. When the hospital received her, they received her with very severe septicemia wounds that had gone all the way to the bone. The family had not been told that and neither had the receiving hospital,” said Towle. “The facility itself was not offering the information.”
Liska said the government only investigated the case after she insisted. A followup report ordered the centre to overhaul its wound dressing procedures and report back by the end of the year.
“The government did not take a role in this at all,” said Towle. “The family took it upon themselves to make a Protections of Persons in Care complaint and then the investigation was done and complete on October 23, seven months afterwards. Cassie’s mom, Violet passed away on October 27.”
The provincial report indicated MacDonald sometimes refused care, but concluded the abuse allegations were founded.
An official with Revera Incorporated, which runs McKenzie Towne Care Centre, describes MacDonald’s case as “a very troubling and complex situation.”
“We regret what Mrs. MacDonald and her family went through,” Revera’s vice president of clinical services and quality told Global News. “There are a number of facts that need to be fully understood,” said Joanne Dykman.
“This is a very complex case, in particular because of the resident’s treatment decisions that she made herself, and the work of balancing her autonomy and then making those decisions.”
Dykman explained the Protections of Persons in Care report also revealed that it was difficult for staff to deliver care to MacDonald.
“The nurses treating Mrs. MacDonald did not want to force care upon her because it would have been considered abuse.”
Dykman said the staff worked with the family and the physician along with the resident herself to come up with an agreed course of treatment.
“Because of these challenges of treating her we were not able to offer the level of care that we are accustomed and we apologize for that. We were following what we believed her expressed interests were, and worked with the family, the physician and others to make sure we followed her choices.”
“We’re going to take those pieces, work with other key stakeholders and leaders, and do the review with others and join the conversation. We are committed to providing high quality seniors care.”
Dykman said the facility is closely monitored by Alberta Health Services and does not “shy away from those standards” that regulate its care.
Alberta’s health minister says his department will investigate the case further.
“The system has failed this resident and we will do our best to find out why,” Fred Horne told the legislature during question period Monday.
“This sort of situation is unacceptable in this province in any circumstance. I have asked Alberta Health Services’ on-site team to monitor operations at this facility until my questions are answered.”
Towle said the case is further proof that the province needs an independent seniors advocate who can research these issues and not be beholden to the province.
“The only way to solve these issues is to allow an independent advocate to go in and take a look at the system, see where it’s breaking down, hear stories like Cassie’s, and give the people that are coming forward complete anonymity and complete protection. Families like Cassie’s do not want to come forward to the minister of health because they are fearful of retribution and punitive measures against loved ones in care.”
The province has since ordered the McKenzie Towne Care Centre to fix its care policies.
Premier Alison Redford’s government is bringing in a seniors’ advocate next year, but the advocate will report to the health minister, not the legislature.
WARNING – Graphic Content: the following photos are graphic in nature
Read the report in its entirety below:
With files from The Canadian Press
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