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Malfunctioning elevators at Covenant Health Edmonton

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Covenant Health General Hospital Continuing Care Centre

11111 Jasper Ave NW Edmonton, AB T5K 0L4

(780) 342-8000

S.U.F.F.E.R.

STANDING UP FOR FAIRNESS EVERYONE’S RESPONSIBILITY

News Release: October 31, 2012

Malfunctioning, nonfunctioning elevators.

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Elevators at the Covenant Health Edmonton General Long Term Care Centre appear to be in general disrepair. Individuals have been trapped in malfunctioning elevators for as long as two hours. Residents have suffered wheelchair damage when the elevator door’s sensors did not function and the elevator closed on the wheelchair.

Since Spring 2011 Elevator #3 in the Y Wing has had a permanent Out of Service sign on it. On the weekends often only one of the four elevators in the Y Wing is working.

Recreation Activities have been cancelled when the elevators are out of order because the residents cannot get to the entertainment on the main floor.

Beverley Munro, a resident on Unit 7AB voiced her concerns to Covenant Health Management and Senior Administrators as follows:

  1. on 3 separate occasions she was trapped in an elevator
  2. on numerous occasions the elevator doors closed on her wheelchair, causing damage to the wheels of her wheel chair.She had her complaint tabled in the Alberta Legislature.

She submitted a complaint in regard to Alberta Health Facilities Review Committee stating that the elevators are not in good working order.

According to the Alberta Health Facilities Review Committee website her concerns were investigated on February 22,2012 but she states that she received no response. Although Covenant Health is not in compliance with Standard 3 of the Government of Alberta Long Term Care Accommodation Standards, no action has been taken to rectify these deficiencies.

S.U.F.F.E.R. questions how it is possible that Covenant Health is deemed to be “in compliance” with standards by the Alberta Health Facilities Review Committee, given the reality of the nonfunctioning and malfunctioning elevators.

Beverley has stated, “I have diligently tried to get my concerns addressed but I have found no one who has the authority and the motivation to direct Covenant Health to cooperate and correct their violations.”

That this serious problem has not been fixed in a timely manner is resulting in critical safety concerns and hardship for residents, their families and visitors.

 

Buttons too high

Buttons too high for seniors to reach

Elevator closing 1 Elevator closing 2 Trapped in the elevator

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