Seniors fed up with Barrie retirement home
Some residents of a Barrie retirement residence are speaking out, saying conditions in the home have significantly worsened throughout the pandemic.
Allandale Station Retirement Residence is a retirement home located along Barrie's waterfront. According to Murray Patterson, the president of its residential council, the management of the home is ignoring the problems.
"We've got residents here that have not had the rooms cleaned for three weeks or more," says Patterson. "We're complaining, but they just say they don't have the staff."
The residence is home to more than 100 senior citizens who pay approximately $5,000 monthly.
Multiple residents tell CTV News staff has been reduced, leading to services and care being scaled back.
"We were led astray when we inquired about it. They said it was going to be a good place, it was going to be this and that, and it's gone downhill," says Wilma Irwin.
Some of the raised concerns include intermittent hot water, broken down service elevators and an improperly-staffed kitchen. When cooks have failed to show up for work on weekends, residents have been left with cereal or fast food options for breakfast.
"We pay a fair amount of money for our meals here, and the manager should not have to come in and serve meals to us and go out and buy it," says Patterson.
Some residents tell CTV News that the situation has only worsened over the last week as they have lost some of their freedom. The key fobs that are used to enter the facility have been taken, meaning residents can no longer easily come and go after 8 p.m.
"If we take our dog for a walk, we have to buzz the buzzer and have a nurse off the second floor come down and let us in," says Amelia McFadden, a resident of the home.
In a statement to CTV News, the management company for the residence responded to the concerns saying in part, "We're sorry that we've had some shortcomings in services.
Unfortunately, like all retirement and long-term care homes as well as other industries, our staffing levels have been affected by the labour shortage and other impacts of COVID-19."
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Deaths of 4 people on Sask. farm confirmed as murder-suicide
The deaths of four people on a farm near the Saskatchewan village of Neudorf have been confirmed a murder-suicide.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
George Washington family secrets revealed by DNA from unmarked 19th century graves
Genetic analysis has shed light on a long-standing mystery surrounding the fates of U.S. President George Washington's younger brother Samuel and his kin.
Baby boom amongst nurses leads to maternity ward closure in Listowel, Ont.
The emergency room at Listowel’s hospital is open today, but come summer, their obstetrics unit will be temporarily closing its delivery rooms.
Humboldt Broncos bus crash survivor qualifies Canada for Paralympics in rowing event
Former Humboldt Broncos goaltender and bus crash survivor Jacob Wassermann has qualified Canada for a rowing event for the 2024 Paralympic games in Paris.
Krispy Kreme doughnuts coming to McDonald's in U.S., but not Canada
Canadians will be missing out on a sweet new partnership between McDonald's and Krispy Kreme, which will see doughnuts available at McDonald's locations across the U.S. by the end of 2026.
'We won't forget': How some Muslims view Poilievre's stance on Israel-Hamas war
A spokesman for a regional Muslim advocacy group says Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre's stance on the Israel-Hamas war could complicate his party's relationship with Muslim Canadians.