“We have a situation where vulnerable seniors, many with mobility issues or dementia, are housed directly beside individuals with deteriorating mental health issues, including paranoia and aggression, who have been given free rein to use psychotic-inducing drugs and carry dangerous weapons. It’s a disaster in the making” - Gwen O’Mahony, Conservative Candidate for Nanaimo-Lantzville

(July 3, 2024) Nanaimo, BC - Family members and employees associated with Dufferin Place in Nanaimo, who wish to remain anonymous, express serious concerns about the province’s decision to house individuals struggling with drug addiction alongside a long-term care facility for seniors. The province reallocated a section of the facility, initially designated for senior care, to create a unit for addiction and mental health care.

Reports indicate that open drug dealing and usage occur outside the facility entrance, along the roadside, and in surrounding areas. Witnesses have observed individuals injecting drugs in broad daylight, and there are alarming instances of patients smoking crack and meth inside the building. The extent of exposure to second-hand crack smoke among healthcare professionals and its impact on workers and seniors, due to recirculation through the facility’s air system, remains unknown.

“I wouldn’t want my loved one housed in such close proximity to uncontrolled illegal drug dealing and drug use,” said Gwen O’Mahony, Conservative Candidate for Nanaimo-Lantzville. “This ill-thought-out decision failed to conduct due diligence and perform a risk assessment when housing two extremely vulnerable groups under one roof. Second-hand crack and meth smoke inhalation, theft, and violence are the key concerns. Given the extremely lax approach the NDP has taken regarding public drug use and drug use inside hospitals, it’s no surprise that prioritizing drug use spaces over the safety of seniors, who deserve respect and a peaceful place to live out their remaining days, has become the norm. This also puts front-line workers at risk.”

Nanaimo resident Janayh Wright shared her distress after her grandmother was admitted to Dufferin Place last year. Wright described the difficulty her family faced in accepting that they could no longer care for her grandmother, compounded by the sight of open drug deals occurring right outside the facility. She expressed feeling unsafe visiting in the evenings and worried about her grandmother and other residents. Nurses at the facility, who were very supportive, shared her concerns. Some nurses mentioned that they were not consulted and felt unprepared to care for individuals with severe mental health issues who are actively using drugs.

One nurse took early retirement upon learning that her shifts would be divided between geriatric care and mental health and addictions, stating this was not what she had signed up for. Additionally, front-line staff have reported that they are not allowed to confiscate or ban the carrying of weapons, such as knives, as the province has advised that doing so would violate the individuals’ rights and contribute to stigma.

“We have a situation where vulnerable seniors, many with mobility issues or dementia, are housed directly beside individuals with deteriorating mental health issues, including paranoia and aggression, who have been given free rein to use psychotic-inducing drugs and carry dangerous weapons. It’s a disaster in the making,” stated O’Mahony. “I’m amazed that WorkSafe BC hasn’t stepped in and deemed this program unsafe.”

By reallocating a section of Dufferin Place, badly needed beds for elderly patients have been eliminated. Now, when an elderly patient arrives at the hospital, they are placed in a windowless room in the basement while waiting for a bed to become available.

“Addiction care is a highly specialized area of medicine that must be offered in a safe, appropriate facility with the proper resources and supports in place, not a patchwork quilt of services each community is forced to piece together,” O’Mahony added.

 

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