New admissions now permitted at Maples care home, where 56 residents died of COVID-19

WINNIPEG (CityNews) ─ The personal care home in Winnipeg that was the site of a deadly COVID-19 outbreak beginning last fall is being allowed to accept new admissions.

Winnipeg’s Maples Personal Care Home can begin accepting one new resident every weekday for the next three months, as granted by Manitoba Health and Seniors Care.

The residents must be currently in hospital or awaiting long-term care placement.

A report published seven months ago confirmed 56 residents of the Winnipeg care home died during the outbreak that was declared on Oct. 20 and lasted until Jan. 12.

A total 74 staff members and 157 residents tested positive for the novel coronavirus over that span at the 200-bed care home operated by Revera.

RELATED:

• Families feel silenced after report into Maples Personal Care Home (Feb. 9, 2021)
• Province will implement all 17 recommendations from Maples care home review (Feb. 4, 2021)

The province says the facility provided “detailed status updates” since then to address the concerns that led to the deadly outbreak.

“These plans meet provincial standards,” the government said in a release.

“The focus is to ensure safe and stable admission of new residents while maintaining a safe environment for existing residents. The approved admissions plan requires the facility to regularly report to the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority (WHRA) and the province on the status of new admissions.”

The province says Maples’ license remains under review.

Manitoba’s Opposition NDP criticized the decision by the Progressive Conservatives to allow new admissions.

“Instead of improving quality of care, increasing staffing levels, and ensuring better oversight, the PCs are allowing Maples to accept more patients while its license is still under review,” said NDP MLA for The Maples Mintu Sandhu in a statement. “Manitobans deserve a seniors advocate and a government that is committed to improving care for seniors and holding Personal Care Homes accountable.”

WATCH: Families, advocacy groups react to Maples report (Feb. 4, 2021)

February’s report into the deadly outbreak was led by Lynn Stevenson, a former associate deputy minister of health in British Columbia
She interviewed 150 residents, family and staff. Licensing reports and accreditation all met standards. The care home had a pandemic plan in place.

Stevenson said a significant loss of staff over a short period of time contributed to the rapid spread of virus, adding that the care home did not adequately communicate how dire staffing shortages were when it requested help.

The review found shortages in staff caring for residents and in housekeeping, inconsistent cleaning and not enough infection control expertise on-site.

WATCH: Manitoba’s top doctor addresses Maples review (Feb. 5, 2021)

The report included recommendations specific to the facility and the health region, as well as suggestions for the provincial government.

They included better pandemic plans, clear communication about staffing needs and a recognition that housekeeping is a critical essential service in long-term care.

With files from The Canadian Press.