Sask. ombudsman says family of senior who died in long-term care deserves apology

Saskatchewan's ombudsman says a long-term care home in Regina did not properly assess the risk of a fall, nor did it follow policies to prevent one before 87-year-old Jessie Sellwood fell and later died in Dec. 2013.

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The case was reviewed by the ombudsman after it was raised by the provincial Opposition at the Legislature in the fall of 2014, along with a series of other concerns about the state of long-term care in the province.

Sellwood was a resident of Extendicare Sunset when she fell while being helped by a care aide on Dec. 23, 2013.

She was taken to hospital in Regina, given pain medication and sent back to the care home.

Two days later, on Christmas Day, Sellwood was complaining of pain and nausea and her leg was swelling. She was taken back to the hospital and diagnosed with a broken leg.

She died two days later, on Dec. 27, 2013.

Home failed to meet standards

Despite her doctor listing her cause of death as an "accident", the care home did not follow policy and notify the Coroner's office or deem it a "critical incident" and report it to the health region.

Sellwood's family also had a difficult time getting answers about her death. The ombudsman's report says the family "endured a lengthy, disjoined and unsatisfactory review process and did not get timely, satisfactory answers to their questions."

In her report, Mary McFadyen makes several recommendations including that the Regina Qu'Appelle Heath Region implement a policy to review all unexplained and unexpected deaths in long-term care homes.

Family files lawsuit

Mary McFadyan says workers at the care home failed to properly assess the risk of a fall, and did not follow policies to prevent one.

"We really want them to step up their game and make sure that they have a smooth process," McFadyen told CBC Radio's Blue Sky.

"In this case there were many reviews of her unexpected death but they were not co-ordinated and some of them, quite frankly, were not as thorough as they should have been," McFadyen said.

McFadyen also recommends the health region and the care home apologize to Sellwood's family and tell them what they are doing to improve things.

Sellwood'schildren are now suing the health region and the long-term care home.The lawsuit was filed today by Regina lawyer Tony Merchant, seeking general and punitive damages.