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Hay River woman needed help, couldn't get up

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An elderly woman in Hay River was deprived of healthcare services after surgery.

On June 14 Hay River resident Lois MacInnis, 70, underwent a hysterectomy and five days after the surgery she expected home-care providers to arrive and help with her recovery.

However, when home personal support workers showed up at MacInnis' apartment on June 19, no one answered the door. The support workers did not have a key, therefore could not get into the building.

MacInnis remained in bed with no help and limited mobility, she went without care for two weeks and later told the Hay River Hub in a July 5 interview, she feels there was not enough done to help her.

“They just said 'you weren't there' ... I said 'well where would I be?'” MacInnis said in a that previous interview. “It's been over two weeks now and there's no one who's reported here to me.”

Weeks later and MacInnis said she never received the help she expected, she said she took care of herself after the surgery.

“To me it was a little fishy,” said McInnis. “I didn't like the way I was treated, I was black and blue and I could have used the help.”

It turned out to be the nurses had gone to an old address that was on the file.

However, it should not have resulted in failing to receive care all-together, said MacInnis.

The Department of Health and Social Services responded last week. Spokesperson Damien Healy said the department was made aware of MacInnis' complaint. He added workers will not usually keep keys for a clients home.

“Only if absolutely necessary and pre-arranged, clients may provide keys,” stated Healy in an email. “When clients are signed up for home care, they are told that if the door is locked, the client or another person must be available to open the door at the appointment time.”

Home-care services are run through DHSS. Healy said the protocol for support workers is to wait until the door is answered.

“The home care staff will wait a few minutes and try knocking on the door several times. They will also try to phone the person. If there is no response, the staff person will phone the client’s next of kin or other identified person to notify,” stated Healy. “If no one can account for a client’s failure to open the door, answer the phone or call out, and the home care staff is concerned that the client may be at risk, they may attempt to gain access with a building manager (or) housing authority contact.”

MacInnis added all the nurses had to do was contact the Hay River Housing Authority and they would have been redirected to the Riverview Lodge Apartments.