Family of dementia patient puzzled by COVID rules denying entry at 1 Winnipeg hospital, but not another

Don Winstone is asteadying force in the life of his wife, Donna, who has dementia. He's the person she looks for when she feels unsettled.

When a COVID-19 diagnosis rushed Donna to Grace Hospital, the family convinced managementDonneeded to be by her side.

Normally any visits to a COVID-19 patient are forbidden, though exceptions can be made.But when Donnawas transferred to Seven Oaks Hospital a few days later once her health improved, the family couldn't convince the facility to let him in.

"They have the power to grant exemptions, just like Grace [Hospital] did, but they choose not to exercise that," Don Winstone, 79, said.

"I just think it's unreasonable that they would deny access to somebody who's so very vulnerable. It would be a comfort to her if I was there for sure."

One hospital said yes, one hospital said no

Two hospitals hadtwo talesof handling visitors for COVID-positive patients, the Winstonesfound.

The standard protocol atManitoba's health-care facilities is to deny in-person visitsfor patients who have, or are suspected of having, COVID-19, but exceptions for essential care providers can be considered if it isthe only option to meet the patient's needs, Shared Health says.

At Grace Hospital, siteleadership was initiallyreluctant to let inside Donna's primary care provider, but they relented after hearing the pleas from Don and Donna's eldest son, Brent.

"She realized my mom had high care needs," Brent Winstonesaid of the unit manager, during an interview athis parents' home in Winnipeg's Wolseleyneighbourhood.

"At that time, she needed someone to feed her, she needed two people to get in and out of bed. She's not able to communicate."

Donna's care needs span around the clock. Home care handles the maximum 56 hours a week, andherhusband is therethe rest of the time.

Don pushed to be there for his wife because he knew of her demands.Hewanted to provide the one-on-one support he figuredhospital staff were too busy to provide. He conveyed that he wouldfollow all health and safety protocols to ensure he did not contract COVID-19. He is already triple vaccinated.

Though he was welcomed at the Grace, he wasn't at Seven Oaks. He heard from staff at the latter facility that hiswife hasn't been sleeping well most evenings. On one virtual visit, she seemed to be doing fine, but Don says that was just a snapshot in time.

"I just worry about her being cared for properly. That's the big worry, that her basic needs are not being met."

There is a distinction between the two hospitals. In both cases, Donna was isolated from other patients because she is COVID-positive, but at Seven Oaks her unit was declared a COVID outbreak so no patientsgot visitors, whether theyhad COVID or not.

Brent said Seven Oaks leadershipcame up with a workaround bring your mother home but Brentsaid it was unreasonableto set up home care arrangementswithin a day. Donna did not have visitors until Sunday, afterher 10 days of requiredisolation lapsed.

"The best we can hope for is that my mom doesn't totally understand what's happening right now and that, at least some of the time, she'snot upset," Brent said in an interview last week, explaininghis mom can get agitated and can be reassured bya familiar face.

The family is now in talks with gettingDonna into the first available bed at a personal care home.

It's become harder and harder for Don to take care of his wife, especially as he's recoveringfrom astroke he had eight months ago.

The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority which operates the Seven Oaks and Grace hospitals would not speak to the particular's family case, citing privacy, but said "client relations and care teams arein close contact with the family to discuss a care and communication plan for the patients."

The spokesperson said it is up to the family to come up with home care supports after a patient who was supported through WRHA's Self and Family Managed Care Programis discharged from hospital. The family confirmed that Donna has participated in this program.

Brent said the family has nothing but praise for health-care workers atSeven Oaks, butwanted management to exercise the same compassion their counterparts at the Grace extended.

This ordeal gaveDon the opportunity to speakfor his wife for 53 years, a former school teacher who found happiness throughsinging in choirs and playing the piano.

"I would encourage anybody elsewho gets in a similar situation to challenge the system," he said. "Sometimes it doesn't work in the best interest of the patient."

Family of dementia patient puzzled by COVID-19 visitation rules

2 years ago

Duration 2:10

The family of a dementia patient is puzzled by COVID visitation rules. At Grace Hospital, family could visit Donna Winstone even though she had COVID-19. The hospital make an exception for her essential care provider because her care needs are great. But when Donna was transferred to Seven Oaks, that hospital would not make an exception. Her husband Don says the different rules at two different hospitals aren't fair.