The Executive Director of a retirement residence in Dresden says steps are being taken to address a staffing shortage and keep residents safe.
The Executive Director of Park Street Place Retirement Residence in Dresden Lorrie McCullough told CK News Today the staffing shortage happened when the manager went off on sick leave and two senior staff members also went on leave almost back to back.
As a result, the Retirement Homes Regulatory Authority (RHRA) had to order the Licensee in Trenton, only known as 2615412 Ontario Inc., to hire an interim manager at their expense to manage all operations at the home because of the "extraordinary circumstances."
"The Deputy Registrar [of the RHRA] has reasonable grounds to believe that extraordinary circumstances exist in the Home that require immediate action, pertaining to staff shortages that rose to a critical level," read the order issued by the RHRA on September 25, 2023. "The Deputy Register also has reasonable grounds to believe that the extraordinary circumstances have resulted or may result in harm or a risk of harm to one or more residents."
The order came after an inspection on September 18, 2023 prompted by anonymous reports. The inspector found that the home had significantly lower staffing levels on a number of occasions and that several residents did not receive their bathing care on September 16, 18, and the morning of September 21, in accordance with their plans of care.
The inspector's report also stated that a manager gave false information on September 21 and 22, 2023 that the missed bathing had now been provided to the residents. The inspector discovered it was not through interviews and checking documentation at the home.
The order shall remain in place until such time as the RHRA deems the order no longer necessary, said the RHRA.
The order stated the Licensee shall facilitate and assist the manager in managing the home and shall not interfere with the manager in any way, shall defer to the manager on matters relating to the operation of the home, and shall execute the directions issued to it by the manager, including executing the manager’s directions regarding staffing the home appropriately.
McCullough said Park Street Place Retirement Residence has already hired a few staff and is now looking for a full time manager, a full time Registered Nurse, and two Personal Support Workers.
"We're taking the necessary steps to get everything to where it needs to be and the residents are not at risk, there's an interim manager in place. I mean, very unfortunate circumstances that led to where things are now," said McCullough. "We have hired some and we're still looking for others. We have ads posted and feelers out there. We're taking a few different steps and when necessary using a temporary agency. Whatever it takes to make sure the residents are safe and the home is running efficiently."
McCullough noted the home has not lost any residents because they understand this was a "chain of unfortunate events that happened over the course of a few very short days."
"I've been asked to come back and try to help get things sorted out because nobody wants this. The owners don't want this, it's just a very unfortunate series of events that led to where we are right now," McCullough said.