A pair of health care aides at a Sturgeon Heights personal care home are facing assault charges after an investigation into abuse of residents.
Winnipeg police said they started looking into reported abuse happening to residents in the home in June, and determined that between August of last year and January 2022, two aides used inappropriate physical actions during their daily care duties to get five elderly victims to comply.
The company behind Extendicare Oakview Place, the care home at the centre of the allegations, says it was informed Monday evening that the aides had been arrested.
“We have shared this update with our community of residents, families and staff,” an Extendicare spokesperson said.
“We cooperated with the police throughout their investigation and thank them for their work. This is a difficult time, and we remain focused on our community.”
In an online statement Tuesday, the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority said its leadership was first informed about the allegations in June by a whistleblower, and the WRHA took “immediate action to address the situation” — which included getting the police service involved.
Police said none of the victims required medical treatment.
A 49-year-old woman is facing three assault charges, and a 36-year-old woman has been charged with two counts of assault.
Both have been released with conditions.
Global News spoke to Nancy Trauer whose father David Middleton was one of the alleged victims. She said she only learned of the charges after media called her.
“It’s just been such a painful thing to have lost dad and then get this information that he was probably abused and our family feels that he probably was due to his extreme change in behavior, when getting his undergarments changed and his reaction to being touched,” she said.
Trauer said she has been left to wonder what happened to her dad, it’s been a very painful process and she would like some concrete answers.
Another one of the 15 alleged victims was Gail Johnson’s mother.
“Our family is pleased that the investigation has led to criminal charges being filed against the 2 accused,” Johnson said.
“We are hopeful that moving forward that the Protection of Persons in Care Office’s investigation will lead to Extendicare being held accountable and responsible for the alleged lack of action by the former Oakview Place administration.”