Skip to content

Sault long-term care homes dealing with 'worst staffing levels that they've ever seen,' says Ontario Health Coalition

Coalition leader says province needs to implement emergency measures to address staffing issues due to surge in COVID-19 cases in Ontario's long-term care facilities
long term care bed
Stock photo

The recent surge in COVID-19 cases due to the Omicron variant is leading to an increase in positive cases in both residents and staff at long-term care facilities in Ontario. 

Ontario Health Coalition Executive Director Natalie Mehra says the recent surge is leading to staffing shortages in long-term care homes previously unseen during the COVID-19 pandemic, including homes in Sault Ste. Marie over the past two weeks, according to conversations with long-term care workers who volunteer for the coalition locally.  

“In their long-term care homes in Sault Ste. Marie, they have the worst staffing levels that they’ve ever seen,” Mehra said.  

F.J. Davey Home declared its first COVID-19 outbreak Jan. 7, affecting six of its units and leading to 20 residents and 16 staff members testing positive for the virus as of Jan. 15, according to an email from administrator Connie Lee.  

“As cases of COVID-19 increase in the communities surrounding long-term care homes, so too does the risk of residents and staff becoming exposed to the virus,” said Lee. “At the F.J. Davey Home we have also worked with our health partners to administer third doses to residents, with more than 90 per cent of residents at the F.J. Davey Home having now received their third shot. Staff members are required to be fully vaccinated to work at the F.J. Davey Home.

“Routine surveillance swabbing of all residents and team members is underway and will continue under public health direction. We are working to prevent transmission and following all public health directives, including enhanced cleaning measures with additional staff in place to assist, and use of N95 masks for all team members, as well as meeting and exceeding ministry requirements for staff testing and active symptom screening,” Lee continued. “We are providing regular updates to our team and families. We will remain vigilant and continue to do what is necessary to protect those in our care until the virus is no longer a threat.” 

Another COVID-19 outbreak was declared at Extendicare Maple View Jan. 8. Although an Extendicare spokesperson responded to SooToday’s request for information via email, they wouldn’t elaborate on the number of staff and residents who have recently tested positive for COVID-19 at the long-term care home. 

The spokesperson informed SooToday that Extendicare Maple View has increased its staffing levels in place by bringing on additional staff to support the home while regular staff members who have tested positive for COVID-19 wait to be cleared to return to work by public health officials. 

“The home is working closely with public health and practicing heightened infection prevention and control measures, including universal PPE use, enhanced cleaning, ongoing testing of staff, residents and visitors, and active symptom screening,” reads the email from Extendicare. “We are providing regular updates on outbreak status directly to our residents, team and families during this challenging time. 

“We will remain vigilant and continue to do everything we can to protect those in our care until the virus is no longer a threat.” 

The head of the Ontario Health Coalition says that right now, more than 4,000 long-term care staff across Ontario are currently off work due to testing positive for COVID-19. 

“I mean, if it was a crisis before, it’s a catastrophe now,” said Mehta, speaking with SooToday from Oshawa, Ont. Wednesday. “It is the worst we’ve ever seen, without exaggeration.”

According to the latest daily epidemiological summary from Public Health Ontario, there are currently 422 COVID-19 outbreaks in long-term care facilities across the province, bringing the total number of long-term care home outbreaks to more than 2,000 since the beginning of the pandemic. 

“Through the pandemic, we’ve lost more staff - every wave, we’ve lost more staff - and at this point, there just is no give at all. There’s no resilience left, there’s no surge capacity - and we hit this wave of Omicron, which is just devastating,” said Mehra. “There are more outbreaks than there have ever been in long-term care, as well as in hospitals and retirement homes.” 

Mehra says that people associated with long-term care facilities have been telling her about the situation at many homes in Ontario due to COVID-19 outbreaks and the staffing shortages that come with it.  

Some long-term care residents remain isolated in their rooms during outbreaks, she says, leading to a greater decline in their health. In some homes, basic care for residents hasn’t been taking place since mid-December due to COVID-related staffing shortages. 

“If I sound emotional, it’s because it’s horrific,” said Mehra. “That is what’s happening right now, and that’s not an exaggeration.”

Last week, the Ontario Health Coalition called on the Ontario government to “urgently address the immediate emergency” of staffing shortages and address outstanding issues in Ontario hospitals, long-term care facilities and home care services. 

Mehra says part of the province’s response to the health care staffing crisis should include providing N95 masks to all staff, visitors and contractors at long-term care facilities. 

“Everyone should have them on. I mean, we’re looking at a situation in which there are 400-plus outbreaks in the homes,” said Mehra. “One way to stymie the outbreaks is to have everyone in proper PPE and stop the spread of this really infectious variant. 

“That is not happening.”

The entire list of recommended emergency measures can be found on the Ontario Health Coalition website


What's next?


If you would like to apply to become a Verified reader Verified Commenter, please fill out this form.


Discussion


James Hopkin

About the Author: James Hopkin

James Hopkin is a reporter for SooToday in Sault Ste. Marie
Read more