A 86-year-old individual suffering from dementia visited a hospital in New Brunswick due to pneumonia, yet according to his relatives, he sustained bruises and additional harm.
His relatives think the injuries resulted from accidents at the hospital and might have been avoided if there were better resources available to assist both patients and caregivers during the waiting period for a nursing home admission.
“You’ll go inside and see your dad with a black eye, completely covered in bruises,” said Lisa Weir, whose father Winston Cossaboom is currently at Saint John Regional Hospital awaiting a long-term care bed.
For over thirty years, Cossaboom dedicated himself to serving his community through the Saint John Police Force. Now, it’s time for him to receive care, but his family feels the healthcare system is not meeting his requirements adequately.
” He was admitted to the hospital due to pneumonia and has since sustained additional injuries while there,” Weir stated.
Cossaboom was added to the waiting list in July for an in-home care evaluation, which involves a social worker.
Following an episode of pneumonia in October, along with increasing symptoms of dementia, Cossaboom was hospitalized at the Saint John Regional Hospital, where he continues to be treated.
The only remaining choice for him is a nursing home, yet six months after signing up, the family has not yet met with the social worker to facilitate this arrangement.
Cossaboom is currently hospitalized, and circumstances keep getting worse.
One early morning this month, Weir mentions that her mother got an unexpected phone call from the hospital.
“We discovered your father lying on the ground, and we’re not certain how long he’d been there,” Weir remembered being told by the hospital when speaking to her mother.
“They are giving their utmost effort, but we should at least provide them with some tools that could assist,” she added.
Cossaboom is among approximately 300 individuals receiving short-term care at a facility managed by Horizon Health Network, awaiting admission to a seniors’ residence.
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The Horizon Health Network has already voiced its opposition to these circumstances this year.
In a release, Greg Doiron, Vice President of Clinical Operations at Horizon Health, stated that they “recognize the frustration families face when their relatives have to remain in the hospital for prolonged periods due to delays in securing long-term care.”
“Hospitals are structured and equipped to deliver immediate medical treatment, and these individuals should receive care within a setting that most effectively addresses their requirements,” he stated.
Horizon still faces challenges as almost 40% of our acute care beds are used by patients awaiting admission to long-term care homes. Hospitals aren’t built for this kind of support. We remain committed to collaborating with our healthcare partners to effectively resolve this problem.
In the meantime, the New Brunswick Nursing Union states that it has also been advocating for additional personnel to support elderly patients who remain in hospitals awaiting placement.
“It highlights the systemic failure we face in providing proper care for seniors within emergency healthcare settings, as they truly belong in long-term care facilities equipped with sufficient staff and essential resources,” said union president Paula Doucet.
Weir is advocating for additional personnel and better facilities to ensure patient safety within hospital rooms and beds during waiting periods, an initiative that the province claims is already being implemented.
“Over the last year, we’ve seen an overall rise of more than 400 combined positions for nurses and licensed practical nurses within our hospitals, nearly 416,” said New Brunswick Health Minister John Dornan.
He mentions that the province aims to develop a short-term and sustained strategy for releasing patients in the next few weeks.
