Patients died from neglect, not COVID-19
Dozens of residents in two Ontario nursing homes hit hard by the coronavirus died not from COVID-19 but from dehydration and neglect, the Canadian military says in reports obtained by The Globe and Mail.
The documents contain new details about the deplorable conditions in two Toronto homes before the Forces stepped in last year, revealing for the first time that causes other than COVID-19 hastened the deaths of residents as outbreaks spiralled out of control and staffing collapsed.
At Downsview Long Term Care Centre, where one in four residents succumbed to the virus, another 26 died from dehydration before a military team arrived last June to provide humanitarian and medical support.
In its report on the Downsview long-term care home, the military expresses “large concern” with the timing of its arrival. “It was noted by ACCT [the augmented civilian care team] that 26 residents died due to dehydration prior to the arrival of the CAF team due to the lack of staff to care for them. They died when all they need was ‘water and a wipe down.’ ”
As well, she said, none of the death certificates issued for residents cite neglect, dehydration or malnutrition as a cause of death.
In a report released last May, the military chronicled horrific conditions in the initial five homes it assisted, ranging from poor infection-control practices to the neglect and abuse of residents.
Opposition Leader Andrea Horwath wrote to the Ontario Provincial Police last week, asking it to review whether the commission’s findings “constitute a case for criminal charges.”
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/cana...itions-at-two/
