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<\/p>\nThe son of a woman who died in hospital days after she fell at a Winnipeg care home and was transferred to another home is suing Extendicare, the operator of the facilities.<\/p>\n
Hazel King began living at Extendicare Charleswood on Roblin Boulevard on July 7, 2023, when she was 92. Upon intake, she was reportedly assessed as being at an increased risk of falling.<\/p>\n
A lawsuit filed by Bruce King in August on behalf of her estate alleges the resident fell while at the care home on Aug. 23, 2023, and suffered four fractured ribs and severe abrasions, among other injuries.<\/p>\n
The court filing in Court of King\u2019s Bench claims staff failed to summon medical care and didn\u2019t inform King\u2019s family about her wounds.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit, which names Extendicare Canada and its subsidiaries and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority as defendants, alleges the care home took \u201cno steps to address the injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe care home defendants did not assess the injuries, refer Ms. King to a qualified professional to have the injuries assessed, or advise Ms. King\u2019s family of the fall or the injuries,\u201d the court filing claims.<\/p>\n
On Aug. 24, the care home moved King to Extendicare Maples on Mandalay Drive without assessing her health or obtaining medical clearance, the lawsuit alleges.<\/p>\n
Staff at the Maples care home conducted a preliminary assessment of King, the court papers say, and learned about the fall and found her injuries.<\/p>\n
It took \u201ca significant period of time\u201d for the Maples staff to conduct a full assessment of the 92-year-old and determine she was in critical condition.<\/p>\n
\u201cApproximately three days after the full assessment, the care home defendants transferred Ms. King to the emergency room at Grace Hospital,\u201d the court filing says. \u201cAround the same time, Ms. King\u2019s family received notice for the first time of the occurrence of the fall and the injuries.\u201d<\/p>\n
She was pronounced dead on Aug. 29. She had haemophilus influenzae pneumosepsis, which is an infection of the bloodstream, but the court papers say the material cause of her death was the fall and subsequent injuries.<\/p>\n
The lawsuit alleges the care home defendants and the WRHA \u2014 which oversees care homes \u2014 breached their duty to ensure King\u2019s well-being and safety.<\/p>\n
Further, the suit accuses the WRHA of failing to conduct adequate inspections or assessments of the care homes and of failing to provide proper guidelines on how to respond to falls and injuries.<\/p>\n
Neither defendant has responded to the allegations in court.<\/p>\n
Extendicare did not return a request for comment.<\/p>\n
Bruce King\u2019s lawyer, Jordan Kreml, declined to comment on Wednesday.<\/p>\n
Speaking generally, Sue Vovchuk, executive director of the Long Term and Continuing Association of Manitoba, said falls must be documented and reported under the province\u2019s long-term care protocols.<\/p>\n
In 2022, Extendicare entered an agreement with Revera to take over management of most of Revera\u2019s long-term care homes in Manitoba, including Charleswood and Maples, as Revera moved out of the retirement home management business.<\/p>\n
Extendicare\u2019s management of its various Manitoba care homes took effect on Aug. 1, 2023, shortly after King is said to have been admitted to the Charleswood home.<\/p>\n
Both Extendicare and Revera have been named in a number of Manitoba lawsuits in relation to the deaths of care home residents in recent years.<\/p>\n
erik.pindera@freepress.mb.ca<\/p>\n
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Erik Pindera Erik Pindera is a reporter for the Free Press, mostly focusing on crime and justice. The born-and-bred Winnipegger attended Red River College Polytechnic, wrote for the community newspaper in Kenora, Ont. and reported on television and radio in Winnipeg before joining the Free Press in 2020.\u00a0 Read more about Erik<\/a>.<\/p>\n Every piece of reporting Erik produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print \u2014 part of the Free Press\u2018s tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press\u2019s history and mandate<\/a>, and learn how our newsroom operates<\/a>.<\/p>\n
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