The West Island Health Authority (CIUSSS) says after the Floralies seniors’ residences in both Lachine and Lasalle were put under trusteeship in September, 10 staff members were either fired or disciplined in relation to 20 cases of mistreatment.
Authorities say the situation is stable at the homes now, but families and residents are continuing to find out just how bad things were earlier this year.
“It’s a shock. It’s a shock,” said David Gill, whose parents both lived at the Floralies Lachine until his father recently died.
After Quebec unveiled a report on the mistreatment, abuse and negligence at the Floralies residences on Thursday, the West Island CIUSSS on Friday outlined some of its work since taking control of the care homes.
“We had to respond quickly to major concerns voiced by the families and caregivers, and we took the necessary steps,” said Najia Hachimi-Idrissi, interim director of the West Island CIUSSS.
She acknowledged that government officials should have taken charge sooner.
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The homes are owned by a company from France called Maisons Vivalto. A government investigation revealed violence, undertrained staff, insufficient infection control measures, dehydrated residents and more.
“The situation has now been stable for some time and our senior residents are receiving the care and services their health requires,” said Hachimi-Idrissi.
She said there were 20 specific situations of mistreatment looked at by authorities, and that investigations led to four staff being fired and six facing disciplinary action.
“Those are the situations when it was really identified as negligence from the individual,” she said, pointing to some staff members who were not disciplined because they didn’t have proper training.
Gill has not observed any mistreatment while visiting his parents in Lachine, but says he was never informed that the government had taken over.
“It’s just like, ‘New faces, who are you?'” he said.
Daniel Bergevin, a 62-year-old resident of Floralies Lachine, said he thinks things have improved since the summer.
“I think that the employees that that were not good for the job, they put them out,” he explained.
The new director installed by the owners says she’s determined to re-establish trust and dignity.
“We will do everything that needs to be done,” said Marie-Claude Ouellet. “We would do the same for our own parents.”
The CIUSSS is still working to recruit new staff and get them properly trained to provide quality care.
It says it will not turn control back over to ownership until its’ certain Floralies is able to manage itself.
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