Cockroaches found in Ottawa long-term care home

Cockroaches found at retirement home A Quebec woman says she found cockroaches in her mother's room at an Ottawa long-term care home. CTV's Leah Larocque reports.

Ottawa — A Quebec woman is upset over a cockroach infestation at her mother’s long term care facility in Ottawa.

Debby Coté says she visited her mother’s room at Laurier Manor on Montreal Road Tuesday. She says she found the bugs when she opened the door to the bathroom. Coté says, “There were cockroaches all over the wall, on the floors, on the walls, there were dead ones. I panicked.”

Coté says she asked her mother if she had seen the bugs before, “I said how long has this been going on? Why didn’t you tell me- (my mother) said ‘I was afraid you wouldn’t come visit me anymore.’”

Other residents told Coté they have seen cockroaches in their rooms too. One resident telling Coté, “That’s been like that for a bit, and there are so many bugs that when it is time to go to bed, the resident “used blankets and push them out of the bed.”

Debby Coté told staff at Laurier Manor they told her they were aware and they didn't know when this problem would be solved.

A statement to CTV News, attributed to Chris Smith, the administrator Extendicare Laurier Manor, says, “We are sorry to hear about the family member’s experience at our home and have been in communication with her to discuss her concerns. At Extendicare Laurier Manor, the health and safety of our residents is our priority and the issue of pest control is one we take extremely seriously.”

The statement also says “As soon as we were made aware of the situation we took immediate precautions as per our policies to safeguard hygiene in key areas of the home. We also engaged a pest control company to provide treatments at the home. We were disappointed to learn the treatment wasn’t effective and are working with the pest control company to provide additional complete treatments throughout the home which we will continue to do until we have eliminated this issue.”

Debby Coté’s mother is 71 years old, used a wheelchair and is paralyzed on one side. Coté says she wants the entire building fumigated or her mother moved. “I am not sleeping well. It’s always on my mind. I am trying to find ways to get her out of there and get her in a better place that doesn’t have bugs.”

Coté will be returning this week to check on her mother and other residents.

Cockroaches are notoriously tough to get rid of. Some species of the bug can live for a month without food and are able to survive with very little.

Health Canada says Intensive cleaning measures and pesticides should be used jointly to control cockroaches.