An Edmonton family is remembering their mother, grandmother and great-grandmother who died after contracting COVID-19 at an Edmonton care facility currently in the midst of an outbreak.
Helen Kozoway, 94, died Monday afternoon after testing positive for the virus less than a week earlier.
Kozoway was a resident at the Good Samaritan Southgate Care Centre in south Edmonton. Alberta Health has confirmed three residents at the facility have died in connection with the outbreak but do not release the names for privacy reasons.
READ MORE: 1 new death reported amid COVID-19 outbreak at Edmonton’s Good Samaritan Southgate Care Centre
In a statement on the facility’s website Tuesday morning, GSSCC said there were 43 active cases of COVID-19 in residents, 11 staff members have tested positive and one resident and four employees have recovered.
When Kozoway first tested positive for the virus, her family expressed concern about how the outbreak was being handled by the facility and frustration over communication about their mother’s health. At the time, the facility said it wasn’t known how the virus entered the building.
Interim president and CEO of the Good Samaritan Society, Michelle Bonnici, said outbreak protocols are in place, all asymptomatic residents are being retested, resident movement throughout the home is being restricted and employees are wearing appropriate PPE.
Bonnici also said enhanced cleaning protocols are in place, outdoor visits have been cancelled and employees and residents are screened twice a day, including temperature checks.
“Our employees and residents are doing as well as can be during this difficult time,” she said in the statement.
READ MORE: Alberta families desperate for changes to long-term care after COVID-19 outbreaks
Ken Kozoway said his mother had been at Good Samaritan Southgate for approximately one year. The 94-year-old had dementia.
She is being remembered for her love of walking, gardening, baking and knitting, and leaves behind four children, 10 grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.