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Experiences of Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities in Alberta
Source: Database of Complaints by Residents and Families Documented and Categorized
by Bev McKay, Founder
Families Allied to Influence Responsible Eldercare (FAIRE)

94
48
28
68
286 Reports
142
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
Harm caused
At risk of death or serious injury
Wrongful/premature deaths
General Concern
Use of psychotropic drugs


Examples of residents'
Examples of residents placed at risk
Examples of premature deaths
experiences resulting in injury,
of injury, illness, trauma or death [ 68
[ 28 reports ]
illness, trauma and health
reports ]

decline [ 142 reports ]

· A paralyzed respirator-


· Units are left unsupervised; call bells
dependent resident died when
· Physical/emotional/sexual abuse
for assistance go unanswered;
staff failed to respond to alarm

inadequate training in fire drill
· Pressure sores resulting in
monitors indicating respirator
procedures
infection or surgical closure
failure.

· Colostomies rupture and catheter
· Undetected/untreated medical
· A resident wandered unnoticed
tubes plug due to inadequate
out of the nursing home and was

conditions including infection,
monitoring.
pain, fractures, pneumonia,
later found dead in a nearby
· Residents are not given adequate
field.

sepsis, malnutrition and
dehydration
assistance or time to finish their
· A resident died of asphyxiation
meals; meals are taken away
· Life-threatening bowel
after becoming trapped between
untouched.
obstruction caused by fecal
her mattress and the bed rails.

impaction associated with
· Unplanned weight loss and life-
· A resident died after being
inadequate fluid intake, poor
threatening health decline due to
dropped from a mechanical lift.

diet, medications
inadequate food intake, undetected
swallowing difficulties or medical
· A resident died following three
· Overuse of major tranquilizers
condition.
unassessed falls.
causing toxicity, swallowing
difficulties, loss of functioning,
· No monitoring for, or recognition of,
· A resident died after failing to

muscle rigidity, neurological
adverse drug reactions;
receive treatment for a
disorders, fecal impaction, coma,
administering wrong medications or
gangrenous foot.

falls resulting in bruising,
multiple medications; nurses dispense
· Two residents died after failing to
fractures and loss of mobility
medication but do not ensure

receive treatment for 1) a
residents take it; medication carts are
· Muscle contraction and atrophy
reported gastrointestinal bleed 2)
left unlocked and unsupervised.

due to the use of physical
reported symptoms of
restraints and/or the lack of
· Inadequate monitoring of blood sugar
pneumonia.
exercise, physiotherapy
levels in diabetic residents
· A resident died as a result of 3rd
· Mouth thrush, gum disease and
· Residents wander out of the facility
degree burns associated with a
full-tooth extraction due to
unnoticed.
smoking incident.
inadequate or no mouth care
· Residents are immobilized by
· A resident died after being
· Injuries resulting from
chemical and/or physical restraints.
placed in scalding bathwater.
unskilled/inappropriate handling
· Oxygen tanks run empty or are not
· A resident died as a result of a
of mechanical lifts.
turned on.
fatal adverse drug reaction
· Skin excoriation and/or urinary
associated with the overuse of
· Residents are made to stay in their
tract infection resulting from
psychotropic drugs.
beds for hours, even days, at a
infrequent changing of
time.
incontinent wear.