An Espanola woman says she now has some relief, after a two-year effort to have her husband placed in long-term-care in Espanola.
Diane Bruhmuller says with the assistance of her lawyer, she has received word that Espanola’s long-term facility has put her husband on the waiting list for a bed. This after what she calls a quote “horrific lapse of care” for her husband, Frank, at a long-term care facility in Sudbury.
Diane says her husband’s arm and hand laid on a baseboard heater beside his bed while sleeping for an undetermined amount of time in February, resulting in severe burns that will require extensive skin grafting and pain management. She says she and her lawyer will take legal action against Extendicare York in Sudbury.
Officials at Extendicare York Sudbury stated in an email to The Moose that care providers have a responsibility to keep patient health information private, so they are unable to disclose information about Mr. Bruhmuller’s status. Officials add staff is conducting monthly audits ensuring beds are placed in the correct positions in line with their safety policies and that they issued a safety alert to all their homes to make sure there’s no risk of a similar incident.
Back in August, officials at the Espanola Nursing Home denied the family’s request for placement, stating the home lacked nursing expertise and physical facilities to meet Frank’s care requirements.