A Chilliwack senior says Fraser Health91裸聊视频檚 Home Health services let her down, and she91裸聊视频檚 worried that what happened to her might happen to someone else.
Pamela Garrity, 77, has been unable to stand on her own since falling out of bed in early September.
After getting treated at Chilliwack General Hospital, Garrity was sent home Sept. 20 with the promise that Fraser Health community health workers would visit three times a day. The very first day, someone helped her in the morning and again at noon. But whoever was supposed to come around 9 p.m. called in sick.
Garrity didn91裸聊视频檛 get help until 9 a.m. the next day.
91裸聊视频淭he only way for me to get to the toilet is with help, so I sat in my incontinence underwear from noon on Wednesday to 9 a.m. on Thursday,91裸聊视频� Garrity said. 91裸聊视频淎lso I didn91裸聊视频檛 get any supper, because I can91裸聊视频檛 reach the fridge or cupboards.
91裸聊视频淣ot turning up overnight is just appalling.91裸聊视频�
Garrity claimed the same scenario played out the next day. The senior was left alone for more than 20 hours, and this time she said no reason was given for the no-show.
91裸聊视频淚t was a feeling of desperation and absolute despair,91裸聊视频� she recalled. 91裸聊视频淲hat I felt like doing was dialing 911 and getting myself taken back to hospital, but I didn91裸聊视频檛 do it because I91裸聊视频檓 too stubborn.91裸聊视频�
In an emailed response to The Progress received Oct. 11, Fraser Health91裸聊视频檚 Lee Rego said they were 91裸聊视频渟orry to hear about this person91裸聊视频檚 concerns regarding their care and (we) apologize for their experience.91裸聊视频�
Rego admitted Fraser Health is experiencing a shortage of community health workers, which has led to the rescheduling of some Home Health visits. She said they are continuing to 91裸聊视频渁ctively recruit for these roles to ensure we are able to best support our clients,91裸聊视频� but they are having to make tough decisions based on an assessment of risk to life, health and safety.
91裸聊视频淚n the event a Home Health visit needs to be cancelled or rescheduled, our Home Health team makes every effort to ensure our clients are notified in advance,91裸聊视频� Rego noted.
There was a second issue.
The senior was sent home from hospital with a device called a 91裸聊视频楽arastand.91裸聊视频�
A care aide can help her into the device which puts her in a semi-standing position. The Sarastand is on wheels, and Garrity can be moved around her one-level house to eat, bathe, get dressed, get in and out of bed and use the toilet. But after three days of helping her use the Sarastand, Fraser Health personnel were told to stop using it until a two-part assessment could be done on both the device and Garrity.
Rego said assessments are a necessary step for the safety and well-being of Home Health clients and community health workers.
91裸聊视频淔ollowing this assessment, to ensure the safety of our clients and staff, community health workers are trained to use equipment that may be required to support our clients,91裸聊视频� Rego explained. 91裸聊视频淥ur physical and occupational therapists will also help people learn to use equipment designed to improve their safety at home. Bath seats, grab bars, scooters, walkers, wheelchairs and lifts may be new to our clients, and we want to ensure they are comfortable using them appropriately.91裸聊视频�
The first half of the assessment was scheduled for Oct. 8, and at the time Garrity spoke to The Progress, no date had been set for the second part.
While she was waiting, Garrity had turned to private home care that she couldn91裸聊视频檛 afford. Private care aides could use the Sarastand, but it cost her $270 a day, which was burning through her savings like a wildfire. She figured she could do that for another three weeks before her money ran out.
Fortunately, Fraser Health contacted her over the weekend and both assessments were done. Fraser Health care aids can once again use the Sarastand, but the entire experience has left Garrity feeling sad and angry.
She91裸聊视频檚 relieved that her situation has been resolved, but she worries it has come at the expense of someone else.
91裸聊视频淚91裸聊视频檓 sad because I91裸聊视频檝e got my brain intact, with maybe a few bits missing, and I can advocate for myself,91裸聊视频� she said. 91裸聊视频淏ut if I was my next door neighbor who91裸聊视频檚 84 and doesn91裸聊视频檛 understand anything, what would happen? I feel some of this should be brought to light because it can91裸聊视频檛 just be me this is happening to.
91裸聊视频淚t91裸聊视频檚 got to be happening throughout the Fraser Valley.91裸聊视频�
eric.welsh@theprogress.com
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