The video shows 79-year-old Gil Hamel being repeatedly struck by another resident at Buffalo Grace Manor, a senior assisted living home in Lethbridge, Alta. Her daughters, Susie Koennecke and Lynn Doratty, had raised concerns about the care their mother was receiving multiple times to the facility management. The family pays $2,300 a month for full-time care for their mother. The final straw for them was when two fights were recorded in Gil’s room with another dementia resident just a week apart. Staff at the facility were not aware of the incidents until the family contacted the Lethbridge Police Service.
The family of the other resident involved in the fights has since reached out to Gil’s daughters to apologize, but Koennecke and Doratty blame the lack of accountability from the management team. They believe there is insufficient staffing at the facility, and the care aids are overwhelmed with the number of residents they have to look after. A former care aid who worked at the facility in 2023 also spoke out about the lack of staff and poor management. She claimed that staff were required to pay for their own supplies and that there were shortages of essential items like gloves.
Covenant Care, the organization that operates Buffalo Grace Manor, has stated that they are conducting an internal investigation into the incidents captured on video. They have emphasized that the safety and well-being of residents is their top priority and are committed to learning and improving from any incidents that occur at their facilities. Despite this, Koennecke and Doratty have decided to move their mother to a different facility in the coming weeks. They assert that the current facility did not reach out to them about the incidents and that they are not willing to simply forget about the situation.
Koennecke and Doratty are determined to ensure the safety and well-being of all residents at Buffalo Grace Manor. They believe in holding the facility accountable for the issues their mother faced and want to see changes implemented to prevent similar situations from happening in the future. They are also concerned about other residents at the facility and want to ensure that proper care and safety protocols are in place for everyone. Despite their decision to move their mother, they are committed to addressing the issues at Buffalo Grace Manor and advocating for the rights of all residents.
The shocking incidents at Buffalo Grace Manor highlight the challenges that senior assisted living facilities face in providing adequate care and support for their residents. The lack of accountability from management and insufficient staffing levels are major concerns raised by families and former staff members. Moving forward, it is essential for facilities like Buffalo Grace Manor to address these issues, prioritize the safety and well-being of residents, and ensure that proper protocols and systems are in place to prevent incidents of neglect and abuse. The actions taken by Koennecke and Doratty serve as a reminder of the importance of advocating for the rights of vulnerable individuals in senior care facilities.
