A Verdun, Que. family is looking for answers about the status of their grandmother, who is interned at the senior’s residence of the Lasalle Hospital.
Elisa and Kim Currie say they’re upset after not getting any news about their 78 year-old grandmother, who suffers from dementia and is completely dependent on care to be fed, cleaned, dressed, and to receive medication.
“That’s my major concern… these are answers that we can’t get,” said Kim.
Elisa said they started getting worried after several attempts to contact the residence, located in the third floor of the hospital.
Elisa said that after various calls, she managed to get in touch with a volunteer who couldn’t provide any information. She was told she’d get a call back for Easter but they never did.
“I just had a really bad feeling in my stomach,” Elisa said.
The family decided to investigate themselves and say that what they found was disturbing.
“We found out that there’s been many deaths in the past week and a half. So many they had to bring a cold truck in the back of the hospital.”
Guillaume Bérubé, a spokesperson for the CIUSS de l’Ouest-de-l’Île-de-Montréal confirmed to Global News the truck parked outside of the hospital is in fact a temporary morgue.
According to Bérubé, 15 people have died in the hospital and there are currently 28 confirmed cases of COVID-19.
On his daily press conference, Quebec premier François Legault confirmed his directive to make sure there is someone in facilities who is assigned to inform families of their family member’s status.
“I’ve asked specifically today again to make sure somebody is in charge, somebody is hired if necessary to call all families so I expect that it’d be done,” Legault said.
But Kim Currie believes the problem has deeper roots.
“I think that it’s the government that is to blame and they need to start stepping up and taking care of health care system and take care of our elderly,” Kim said.
“The health care workers are going above and beyond…. They need more help. They need a lot more help,” Kim told Global News.
The family is hoping someone will get in touch with them and hopefully they’re grandmother can be transferred out of the hospital before it’s too late.
—With files from Global’s Phil Carpenter
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