Long-term care home 'failed miserably,' Woodbridge families say as army called in

Pandemic, scandal, deaths put Sienna nursing home in spotlight

Yorkregion.com
June 8, 2020
Kim Zarzour

Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) is onsite today at another COVID-plagued long-term care home -- Woodbridge Vista in Vaughan.

The home is operated by Sienna Senior Living, a private company currently beset with lawsuits, COVID-19 outbreaks at several nursing homes and the controversial departure of one of its top executives.

It's the second Sienna home to see armed forces step in, after the province redeployed troops to support Scarborough's Altamont Care Community in April.

The move follows news, from the Ministry of Long-term Care June 4, that the William Osler Health System would take over as interim manager of the facility.

“Despite receiving hospital support, Woodbridge Vista Care Community has been unable to contain the spread of COVID-19,” a ministry statement said.

Sienna's head office referred enquiries to the provincial government. Ministry spokesperson Gillian Sloggett said long-term care homes that receive armed forces deployment are “those with the most acute staffing challenges leading to poor resident outcomes.”

CAD is conducting an onsite assessment at Vista and news about next steps will be available in coming days, she said.

As of June 6, the 224-bed home has recorded 142 cases of COVID-19 -- 102 residents and 40 staff -- with 22 deaths attributed to the virus. Eighteen acutely ill residents were rushed to hospital last weekend.

Families marched outside of the home Thursday, expressing anger over the care of their loved ones and the allegedly demeaning remarks by company vice-president Joanne Dykeman.

Anthony Manieri, whose sister has disabilities and COVID-19, lives in the home at Steeles Avenue and Martin Grove Road, said Dykeman hosted a Zoom meeting Wednesday night. After the meeting, not realizing her microphone was still on, she ridiculed families’ questions and referred to “bloodsucking class action lawsuits," he said.
Later that evening, Sienna announced that Dykeman had been let go.

In her email sent to families dated June 6, Lois Cormack, president and CEO, said the company was advised the armed forces would be deployed to support care at the home.

“This is good news for us, and will provide our organization with much-needed capacity during the time ahead.

“Our sole focus is on ensuring residents’ and our health care teams’ safety and well-being during this unprecedented time,” she added.

Families say the action is long overdue.

"These problems are just coming to light now but they've been going on for years," said Luigi Marra, whose father, a resident in the home, recently died. "Covid-19 just brought it to the forefront."

“Family members have been advocating for weeks and weeks,” said Miriana Perticarini. “Sienna failed miserably in protecting our most precious elders, loved ones. They are responsible for our loved ones and did not protect them. They completely screwed up, to say it mildly ,. It was obvious before COVID, this just brought it into the limelight , and it cannot be swept underneath the carpet.”

Sienna, which owns and operates 37 long-term care homes in Ontario and eight in British Columbia, is the focus of a $20-million class-action lawsuit.