Laval care home struggling to keep staff from quitting amid COVID-19 crisis

Laval seniors’ home dealing with staff quitting The Fernand Laroque long-term care facility in Laval is dealing with major staff shortages after many have quit.

MONTREAL — A seniors’ residence in Laval is struggling not only with the toll COVID-19 has taken on its staff and residents’ health, but also with a growing number of workers quitting.

At the Fernand-Laroque long-term care facility, the union said at least 10 frontline workers have quit citing exhaustion and fear of contracting COVID-19.

Nurse Valerie Gilbert sent a letter to Premier Francois Legault Friday saying she had had enough and would stay home to take care of her children.

“You will not see me cry all the tears in my body because I have already shed them for my patients who have died,” reads her letter.

“I raise my white flag, I admit defeat. I am leaving this boat, which is sinking faster than the Titanic... I want to inform you that right now, the people who helped build this beautiful province that you govern, are dying from lack of care and despite this you want to blame us for this reality.”

Gilbert has worked at the facility for two years that now has an 85 per cent infection rate.

She said staff is exhausted, don't have enough protective equipment and can’t care for the residents in the way they need.

“These are people who were already suffering,” she said. “They need to be fed, to be turned, given pain killers, anxiety drugs, and they also need warm human contact, and we can’t do that.”

Union spokesperson Karine Miousse said conditions were already mediocre before the crisis and more staff is desperately needed.

She said the ratio of one nurse for 40 patients is nearly impossible to manage, and worries that more may decide to quit.