An Ontario woman alleges that Moose Jaw’s health-care system failed her elderly aunt during her final weeks of life and wants to make people aware of the poor care seniors receive.
Natalia da Costa and her husband, Alan Cox, were in Canada’s Most Notorious City last year from about the end of June to mid-July, visiting Alan’s aunt, Jean Shankoff. Shankoff, 81, had been in the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital since early June after falling at home.
Shankoff — who was diagnosed with breast cancer and early dementia — spent a month in the hospital before she was transferred to Marcie Private Care Home at 1301 Princess Street on June 29. She spent two weeks there before she died on July 10.
Hospital horrors
Da Costa believes Shankoff’s troubles began in the hospital. She alleges that her aunt developed a fist-sized abscess on her back because nurses failed to turn her over.
Da Costa took a picture of the wound and provided it to the Moose Jaw Express.
Furthermore, she alleges her aunt lay in her own urine and feces — which contributed to the infection — because her dementia prevented her from reaching the bathroom, while nurses failed to meet her needs, assuming she was self-sufficient.
Nurses also allegedly failed to feed Shankoff regularly, leading to the woman losing 50 pounds while in the hospital. Da Costa claimed that her aunt called the nurses asking for food — her dementia prevented her from using the buzzer — but no one heard her.
Shankoff’s last day at the hospital was June 29, when da Costa arrived in Moose Jaw. When she visited her aunt, she discovered the bedside food trolley placed away from the bed, making it difficult for Shankoff to reach it.
“We feel that she was neglected from Day 1,” da Costa said, noting her aunt’s leg also became paralyzed from laying in bed. “From there, it was just downhill, downhill, downhill.”
Da Costa filed a complaint with the hospital administrator but never heard back, which was frustrating since she wanted answers about her aunt’s poor care.
The Saskatchewan Health Authority told the Express by email that it could not comment on this specific case. However, the SHA provided information about how people can register concerns about the health care they receive.
Care-home conundrum
The move to Marcie Private Care Home made a bad situation worse in da Costa’s mind. The paramedics who delivered Shankoff to the care home were allegedly told to put her in the basement, which da Costa says surprised them since the stairs were steep and they thought it was an unsafe location.
One paramedic allegedly refused to take Shankoff to the basement. However, they eventually complied and carried the woman downstairs in a bedsheet.
“It was our worst nightmare. … The conditions were horrible, horrible, horrible,” da Costa said, noting her aunt’s bed was not a medical-grade one.
“I complained and they (the care home) said it would be temporary. But nothing happened,” she continued. “And the more I complained, the more we never got anywhere. And there was (nowhere) else available for her to go.”
The couple paid $2,500 for Shankoff to stay for two weeks, which is what residents there pay monthly.
Concerns continue
Da Costa’s concerns during those two weeks increased every day she visited, whether it was with Shankoff’s hygiene, the room’s cleanliness or how there was no ceiling lift to move her aunt. She complained several times and was told the conditions were temporary.
“I worked for the federal government. I learned about elderly abuse and what is acceptable and not acceptable … ,” said da Costa. “I’m 63, and I’ve never seen care homes, especially private ones, do what they did.”
Furthermore, Da Costa alleges that staff forgot to feed her aunt because there was supposedly one employee on shift at supper. Da Costa recalls an employee admitting that she forgot to feed Shankoff but would bring a meal later.
That “meal” was half a potato turned into cubes. Da Costa remembers her aunt taking a bite and spitting it out because it was cold.
Staff were also apparently incapable of performing certain functions, such as giving Shankoff morphine injections by needle. Da Costa says she was forced to do this.
“We confronted the owner on all these issues,” she said. Meanwhile, she claims staff at the home told her they were afraid of reprisals if they spoke up.
“And there was a nurse that quit over our aunt’s care. … Her words to me were, ‘A dog would have been treated better than your own aunt.’”
The Express was unable to verify these allegations.
The Ministry of Health told the Express by email that it licences and monitors privately owned and operated care homes. However, it could not comment on this specific case. Instead, it provided information about how people can report a problem with a personal care home.
Care home responds
Mariam Nganzo, director of Marcie Private Care Home, told the Express she remembers Shankoff and only learned of da Costa’s concerns when the ministry began its investigation.
Nganzo said she was shocked when she saw the complaints about Shankoff’s care. She claimed that ministry officials were also shocked since they usually receive positive reports about the home’s care.
Nganzo chalked up those concerns to the usual grieving process when a loved one dies and it clouds relatives’ judgement. While she sympathized with da Costa, in her opinion, her staff provided the best quality care during Shankoff’s final days of life.
“I contacted the doctors. They came and did reassure (da Costa) that her aunt was receiving the best care … ,” said Nganzo. “Jennie herself was very appreciative actually every single night. When we sat with her, she would be very thankful (to be there and not in the hospital) until she was not able to talk.”
Nganzo claimed that Shankoff’s nephew, Al — who authorized his aunt’s move to the care home — was also grateful for the care she received and told the staff that every day until he left for Ontario. She also claimed she did not recall him ever having concerns.
Registering the complaint
After returning to Ontario, the couple submitted a complaint to the ministry on Sept. 28, 2021. Their concerns about Marcie Private Care Home focused on inadequate staffing, staff competencies, the home’s cleanliness, quality of care, pain management strategies and their aunt’s bedroom.
The ministry confirmed to the Express that it received the complaint and communicated with the couple during the investigation. It sent them a follow-up report this spring with the investigation’s findings.
“Based on the information obtained through the investigation process, the investigator was unable to substantiate the complaints,” the ministry spokesman said.
The report confirms this — da Costa provided it to the Express — by noting the first five concerns were “unfounded” while the concern about Shankoff’s bedroom “was founded.”
The Ontario couple was “really, really angry” after reading the report, with da Costa saying the findings were “not true” because she and her husband witnessed everything and took pictures.
The couple emailed the care home consultant who wrote the report — da Costa provided the email to the Express — and refuted the findings by discussing what they saw.
“Your investigation portrays things in a much better light, when in reality, they weren’t!” they wrote.
Ministry responds
The consultant replied and explained that just because something is unfounded does not mean the issue did not happen. Instead, it means she could not find conclusive evidence that the care home was at fault or guilty.
She also pointed out that this issue is similar to a “he said, she said” situation.
The consultant did not take verbal statements from the involved parties — including the nurse who quit. Instead, she relied on documents that the care home provided, including Shankoff’s record there and the home’s scope of practice, regulations, and handbook.
“… just because a concern was unfounded does not mean nothing is done. Any complaint brought to the Ministry of Health provides the consultants (with) an opportunity to review the operations of the personal care home and provide training and coaching to the home in the areas identified,” the consultant said.
The consultant also responded to the couple’s other concerns that they included in the email about the investigation.
Further appeals
Da Costa plans to appeal the investigation’s findings since the consultant did not speak to the care-home nurse who quit over Shankoff’s treatment and could confirm the couple’s accusations.
“It’s a shame what those folks go through (in care homes). I do not want anyone else to go through this same thing,” da Costa added. “If I can make a difference and ring some bells of awareness, then that is my objective.”
