Auditor general continues to track cases of senior abuse

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This article was published 30/04/2024 (498 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Manitoba’s auditor general will continue to keep tabs on vulnerable seniors in care while the government replaces the Protection for Persons in Care Office.

In July 2023, a report was made public that detailed incidents in which the office had dismissed allegations of sexual assault, as well as physical and verbal abuse at care homes because they didn’t meet the office’s definition of abuse.

Auditor general Tyson Shtykalo said he was “deeply concerned by the findings.”

“These issues jeopardized (the office’s) ability to produce meaningful investigation results to help protect vulnerable Manitobans in care,” Shtykalo said.

He made 12 recommendations to improve the investigation process and plans to report on any progress in 2026.

The recommendations include hiring more investigators since the office was down to six investigators after opening with 15 in 2001.

Last year, the province appointed lawyer Kimberley Gilson, to review the abuse allegations investigated by the office and oversee current investigations.

Gilson said she doesn’t expect to report back on those issues for a few months and wouldn’t comment further.

The province has said the office had an investigation backlog of 204 files in October 2022, but had reduced it to 34 within a month.

A spokesperson for Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the independent counsel updates the government “on a regular basis and, to date, no cases have been re-investigated.”

The province has said the office continues to address the auditor general’s 12 recommendations.

At the same time, former Manitoba Court of Appeal justice William Burnett is working on a new independent investigation office.

“We expect to receive (Burnett’s) first report and set of recommendations in the coming weeks,” the spokesperson said.

A spokesperson for the Progressive Conservative party could not be reached for comment.

Cindy Lamoureux, the lone Liberal MLA, said she continues to press for the abuse allegations to be treated seriously.

“There were dozens of reports, which were confirmed in the AG’s report, involving serious incidents of abuse, including physical and sexual assault,” Lamoureux said. “For example, the lowering of a lift onto a senior’s abdomen causing visible marks.

“We respect the hiring of a private investigator, but to be clear, the fact that we’re allowing those allegations to continue to go unfounded is dismissive and it is not treating Manitobans with dignity.”

kevin.rollason@freepress.mb.ca