The company which owns a Windsor home affected by a major COVID-19 outbreak has provided an update on how it has been addressed.
Schlegel Villages, which operates The Village at St. Clair, says it has been in constant contact with its healthcare partner, Hotel-Dieu Grace Healthcare, Ontario Health, the Windsor-Essex County Health Unit, and others in handling the outbreak, which according to the home's official website, numbered 94 active resident cases, and 49 active cases among staff as of Monday.
In a statement sent to Blackburn News, Schlegel Villages Vice-President of People Christy Parsons said basic care is tantamount.
"We deeply appreciate the support and interest that our partners like the hospital, the LHIN and the union have shown our home," said Parsons. "Our focus during the outbreak is to ensure all of our residents are hydrated, fed and have companionship, and that our infection prevention and control measures are strong. Right now we are short a number of staff, as they have symptoms and are testing positive, but we have been bringing in volunteers, and our management are working as PSWs to help supplement our team."
Parsons says further steps have been taken to support staff and ensure those who have been affected by the virus are being taken care of, which included the following.
- Sent eight members of its support staff from Kitchener to the home
- Accepted 12 volunteers from other facilities, including registered clinicians
- Took on nine team members from HDGH, some of whom had previous connections with the home
- Welcomed eight previously positive staff back to work
- Welcomed back 25 essential caregivers and volunteers to help with nutrition and hydration
- Worked with numerous temporary employment agencies to recruit qualified staff to step in for those who cannot work due to being ill
HDGH CEO Janice Kaffer said the hospital's incident management response team has been working with the home since the beginning.
"Managing this disease is not something that can be done overnight and Health Human Resources are limited. We are committed to doing all we can to assist our partners," said Kaffer in a media release.
The home and its management had faced mounting criticism by healthcare advocates, certain Opposition MPPs, and Unifor, who each claimed that dangerous conditions at the home had been out of control for some time. Unifor Local 2458 represents staff at the Village of St. Clair.
Unifor National President Jerry Dias has sent a letter to Premier Doug Ford, asking the provincial government to suspend the home's licence and take over operations.