The investigation by the Halifax Regional Municipality into a Ferguson’s Cove, N.S. assisted-living home has ended, resulting in no charges.
Specifically why the Grandeur Estates home was under investigation has now been revealed. The municipality is only referring to “a home in Ferguson’s Cove”, which Global News has confirmed is the home in question.
The property, located at 5 Fortress Dr., had six people living inside without a permit; by law, only three or fewer are allowed without one.
The investigation began in November 2015 after a complaint was made to the municipal government.
“It took them a little while to get into compliance, but we worked with them, we were cooperative, and we’re glad to say that on May 19, we were able to close the file,” said Brendan Elliott, senior communications adviser for the government.
A separate issue involving the municipality and another home operated by Grandeur Estates is before the courts, he added.
READ MORE: Woman with Alzheimer’s injured outside assisted-living home under investigation
In April, a neighbour provided Global News with a video of one of the home’s residents falling down several metres in the backyard. The woman, 76 at the time, has Alzheimer’s disease and appeared to be unsupervised.
Assisted-living homes are not regulated by the provincial government because they don’t provide nursing care.
Bill VanGorder, chair of the Canadian Association of Retired Persons Nova Scotia, said the provincial government needs to step in.
“We can’t just tweak the system,” he said. “There are two things that need to be regulated: the training of the staff in the facilities and the facilities themselves.”
Perry Sankarsingh, who works in client services and contract management for the Nova Scotia Department of Health and Wellness, said consultations on a new continuing care strategy are in the planning stages.
“It’s a conversation for us as we move forward to determine where assisted-living and supportive housing appropriately reside in that spectrum and to what degree government could or should regulate,” he said.
People who have Alzheimer’s don’t always need nursing care, although a son of the injured woman previously said she may have needed more care than what was offered at the home.
Neither the family of the woman nor Jillian Peterson, owner of Grandeur Estates, responded to multiple interview requests.
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