As the Bobcaygeon community awoke Monday morning (March 30) to the heartbreaking news that nine Pinecrest Nursing Home residents have died as a result of presumed COVID-19 — seven of those deaths this past weekend — the councillor in whose ward the home is located is frustrated and upset that the seriousness of the situation wasn’t made public sooner.
“When three residents tested positive (on March 20) there should have been something sent out to the public immediately,” says Councillor Kathleen Seymour-Fagan.
“The home finally tried to reach out last Monday (March 23) for help. (MPP) Laurie (Scott) jumped on it immediately but they couldn’t get any answers from the nursing home. They called and couldn’t get in touch with anybody.”
“We hear they are devastated but then we can’t speak with anybody? We’re ready to send in our paramedics and we’re told ‘No?'”
“This had been brewing for over a week. This should have been out to the public a lot quicker than it was. Now we’ve got all those workers in the home who have been out to all the stores around here.”
In addition to the nine resident deaths, an elderly woman who visited her husband daily at Pinecrest died on Saturday (March 28) at Ross Memorial Centre in Lindsay.
In addition, 34 home staff were showing symptoms of COVID-19 as of last Friday (March 27), with 17 of those having tested positive, four tested negative, and test results awaited on the remainder.
kawarthaNOW reached out Monday (March 30) for comment from the Haliburton, Kawartha, Pine Ridge District Health Unit but has yet to hear back. As of early Monday afternoon, there has been no public communication from the health unit or the home about the deaths, but the health unit’s website was updated at 1:15 p.m. on Monday to reflect the current status of cases.
Located at 3418 County Road 36 in Bobcaygeon, Pinecrest Nursing Home is a 65-bed facility owned by Medlaw Corporation.
On the weekend of March 21st, Lindsay cardiologist Dr. Jeremy Jones — in an open letter widely shared on social media — sounded the alarm bell over the situation then brewing at Pinecrest, writing “What they haven’t revealed is that there are 20 other residents and eight staff at the nursing home that have symptoms but have not been tested. This additional 28 people undoubtedly are further cases of COVID-19. This means that there could be hundreds of cases in the community that have gone undetected.”
Councillor Seymour-Fagan says she got a call from City of Kawartha Lakes Mayor Andy Letham last Monday (March 23), advising her of just how bad the situation was at Pinecrest.
“They (nursing home administration) had finally reached out to him and (MPP) Laurie (Scott),” she says, noting she has since been in regular communication with a nurse at the home.
“When I first knew what was happening at Pinecrest, I didn’t have actual data and facts. Speaking with the MPP, speaking with the mayor, we knew but what could we say? Public health hadn’t put it out there. The nursing home hadn’t put it out there. I don’t know what happened. A communication breakdown? We’re hearing Dr. Noseworthy say she didn’t know. That can’t happen.”
As Pinecrest administration, in conjunction with public health staff, attempt to get a handle what is a dire situation at the home, Councillor Seymour-Fagan says the effect on her community has been nothing short of “devastating.”
“People that work there live in the area. They care deeply for the residents. Being a PSW (Personal Support Worker) or a nurse in that type of environment is not an easy job. The people that are working there, their hearts are in the right place and they try their best. That’s one of the reasons why this is so devastating. Those who are ill want to be in there to help and they can’t.”
Adding to Councillor Seymour-Fagan’s frustration is the refusal of those to adhere to physical distancing directives.
“People are coming up to their cottages thinking they are safer. They’re not safer. It’s everywhere. People need to realize that and they need to stay at home. Don’t go out and hang out with your friends. I have a friend who had to close his hardware store because people were coming in looking for bird feeders. It doesn’t matter if you’re bored. Find something to do.”
Meanwhile, the Community Foundation of Kawartha Lakes was set to announce Monday (March 30) that a fund to help patients, families and health care workers affected by COVID-19 in Bobcaygeon and surrounding area has been established. The fund, called the Bobcaygeon and Area COVID-19 Relief Fund, is being administered by the foundation, advised by members of the community led by Councillor Seymour-Fagan.
“We already have donors; we’ve already raised a significant amount (of money),” she says.
To make a donation, email kawarthafoundation@gmail.com.
This story has been updated to include the three additional resident deaths reported on March 31, 2020 and to include two photos from Fred Thornhill / The Canadian Press.
