Langley Lodge and the husband of one resident are at odds over the care she is receiving at the long-term care facility, with 85-year-old Heinz Patzke saying his 78-year-old wife, Sheila, should be moved to a different floor.
Lodge CEO Debra Hauptman has responded by saying relocation isn’t possible during the current COVID-19 outbreak.
Patzke, a Brookswood resident, wants Sheila moved out of the fourth floor to get away from “senile residents” he said have been harassing her.
”She is being physically punched and attacked by other residents, and is constantly harassed in her room,” Patzke said.
”We sought help from her social worker whose solution was that Sheila stay in her room all day and lock the door so other patients could not open the door and come in.”
Hauptman confirmed there were incidents, but declined to give details beyond saying “there have been some interactions between residents, but there were no injuries.”
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Hauptman said the fourth floor is not a dementia ward, but there are patients with different degrees of dementia living throughout the lodge.
During an outbreak, Hauptman said the lodge is not allowed to move patients.
“When we’re under outbreak (rules), we’re under severe restrictions,” Hauptman told the Langley Advance Times.
Once the outbreak is declared over, they could consider relocating Sheila, Hauptman said.
Heinz added that Sheila has been a resident of the fourth floor of the building since she was admitted in November of 2018, following a stroke that left her paralyzed on her right side.
Heinz said she has gone as long as nine days between baths, a claim that Hauptman disputes.
Records show that Sheila has been given the minimum of one bath a week, plus showers, Hauptman maintained.
Heinz also expressed frustration at being unable to visit his wife.
“She waves at me from the balcony,” he said.
Hauptman said she understands the current situation is “very difficult” for the Patzkes.
“We acknowledge that this is a very trying time,” Hauptman commented.
Heinz said he understands the stress staff at the Langley Lodge are under as the facility battles the COVID-19 outbreak, but that “can’t be an excuse for lack of basic health needs like hygiene, safety and compassion.”
Heinz said he wants an independent review of his wife’s living conditions, but the Patient Care Quality Review Board of BC website says that requests for review are on hold due to COVID-19.
“In a time when elder care is paramount, these reviews should be not suspended,” Heinz said.
On Monday, Langley Lodge posted an update to their online blog that said no new resident cases of COVID-19 to report, and all of the remaining cases have recovered.
During the outbreak, 24 patients died and 27 recovered. As well, there were 15 staff cases.
Some restrictions are being lifted, the update said.
“We are proceeding with the lowest risk, very gradually and monitoring along the way.”
Langley Lodge is reducing the frequency of updates from three times a week to once a week.
dan.ferguson@langleyadvancetimes.com
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