The Ministry of Health has ordered a long term care provider in Sault Ste. Marie to stop accepting new residents.

Cedarwood Lodge is a 50-bed interim facility. A ministry report says there is a risk of harm to the health or well-being of residents in the home, or persons who might be admitted there.

"We're relieved that happened, but we're also concerned about the residents in there,” said Nancy Johnson, Chair of the North East Family Council Network.

“If there is a risk of harm to the residents, what are you doing about the ones there?"

The ministry says after an inspection of the facility, it found six orders of non-compliance.

Included below is the full Q/A between CTV and David Jensen, Media Relations Co-ordinator with the Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care.

Q1: Why did the ministry issue a cease admissions order at Cedarwood Lodge

JENSEN: “Ministry inspectors identified non-compliances with the Long-Term Care Homes Act, 2007 (LTCHA), during a Resident Quality Inspection in late 2016.

Fifteen areas of non-compliance were identified, including six compliance orders and a referral to the Director related to duty to protect residents from abuse.  The compliance orders are related to:

  • Not ensuring that staff and others collaborate with each other in the assessment of the resident and development and implementation of the care plan, specifically that physician’s orders were changed without authorization from the physician.
  • Not following resident plans of care.
  • Not protecting residents from abuse. This was referred to the Director for further action.
  • Not managing responsive behaviours.
  • Not having a program in place for skin and wound care as well as no falls prevention program.
  • Not reporting abuse to the Director immediately.

Other non-compliance has been identified that did not result in Compliance Orders.

These recent examples of non-compliance are in addition to a Cease of Admissions that was issued in 2015.”

Q2: What does this order mean for the current residents?

JENSEN:  “A Cease of Admissions ensures the licensee and staff in the home direct all resources to the current residents of the home rather than expending resources on new admissions.  It also focuses the licensee to ensure that issues are corrected quickly which results in care improvements for residents.”

Q3: Is Cedarwood able to appeal this order?

JENSEN:  “As set out in the LTCHA, the Director may order a Cease of Admissions at a long-term care home where the Director believes that there is risk to the health or well-being of residents of a LTC home or persons who might be admitted as residents. This decision remains in place until the Director is satisfied that the licensee has sufficiently mitigated the risks to the health or well-being of residents of a LTC home or persons who might be admitted as residents. This decision is not subject to appeal to the Health Services Appeal and Review Board.”

Q4: What led the ministry to issue the non-compliance against Cedarwood that, in turn, led to the cease admissions order?

JENSEN:  “Please see the response to question #1.”

Q5: What is the next step in this process?

JENSEN:  “The LTC home will need to focus on taking the necessary steps in addressing the Orders issued to the home. The cease of admission will be in effect until the licensee has satisfied the Director (under the LTCHA) that they have taken the appropriate action(s) to address the risk issues identified. The ministry continues to inspect the LTC home regularly.”

Q6: How long will the cease admissions order last; will it end when Cedarwood hires more staff?

JENSEN:  “The Director must be satisfied that the risk of harm to the health or well-being of residents or persons who might be admitted to the home which led to the Cease of Admissions has been mitigated and that risk to residents has been fully addressed. This includes that the issues addressed in the Compliance Orders are fully addressed and resolved by the licensee.”

Q7: How common are cease admissions orders?

JENSEN:  “In 2016 there was a total of four instances where a cease of admissions was put in place at a long-term care home. The current cease of admissions at Cedarwood Lodge is the second of 2017.”