The Herron long-term care institution in Montreal’s West Island is now the subject of a police investigation, as well as a coroner’s inquest. A coroner’s report into the 2017 death of a 94-year-old resident there points to longstanding shortcomings.
Premier François Legault sought Monday to reassure Quebecers that health authorities will protect the province’s elderly, amid growing questions about government oversight of a private nursing home in Montreal’s West Island where 31 people died in the span of a month.
The local health authority, the West Island CIUSSS, took over management of CHSLD Herron in Dorval in Montreal’s West Island on March 29, after its administration asked for help due to dire staff shortages.
Health-care workers sent to Herron told CBC they found a horrific situation, with residents unfed, dehydrated and untended to, and those with COVID-19 symptoms not isolated from others.
CHSLD Herron is now the subject of a criminal investigation by Montreal police, as well as a coroner’s inquest.
A newly surfaced coroner’s report into the 2017 choking death of a 94-year-old woman with Alzheimer’s disease at the Herron home points to longstanding shortcomings there.
Diana Pinet’s death was ruled accidental. However, the coroner found that although there had been an opportunity to perform the Heimlich manoeuvre or another intervention after Pinet aspirated her food, “that didn’t seem to have happened.”
A staff member who was present told the coroner she didn’t have the authority to call 911.
Perhaps just as troubling was the administration’s lack of transparency.
‘Major negligence’
Coroner Julie-Kim Godin found that the Herron had not completed an incident report into Pinet’s death, and the few existing files provided little information. Godin wrote that she tried to contact CHSLD Herron’s director and its risk management department but never received any response.
Both the regional health agency and the Quebec Health Ministry told the coroner their recommendations were never adopted. They said the institution “probably didn’t have a risk management department.”
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Politicians and public health officials promised new measures to further protect long-term care home residents and workers as facilities grappled with “horrific” COVID-19 outbreaks over the weekend. 3:50
Similarly, in recent days, the West Island health agency cited non-collaboration by the Herron’s owners as an issue, as