Bayview Retirement Home in Tay Township is working with a pest control company to clean bed bugs
A retirement home in the Tay community is struggling with a bedbug infestation.
Bayview Retirement Home hired a pest control company to rid the Waubaushene facility of the annoying creatures.
“We are looking into the possibility of fumigating the entire building,” said Bayview manager Tracy Franks.
Franks said they had Abell Pest Control under contract to fix the problem.
“They come once a month and treat the bed bugs for us,” she said.
But getting rid of the bed bugs completely without fully fumigating the premises could prove to be too difficult, Franks added.
“They spray different rooms (now) and make sure they (bed bugs) are not in other rooms, too,” she said.
The residence in northern Simcoe County has a population of 24 and employs approximately 10 people.
Franks said the more drastic option of full fumigation, given bed bug infiltration, might be required to solve the problem once and for all.
“We’re not making any headway, let’s put it that way,” she said, noting that staff fully understand and appreciate the concerns of residents and are trying to do something about it. “We are currently reviewing a plan to spray the entire upper floor and the main floor the next day or so.”
Franks said inspectors from the Simcoe Muskoka District Health Unit and the Nursing Home Inspectorate (RHRA) were at the home.
“They said we are doing everything we should and they are not concerned,” said Franks.
RHRA spokesman Phil Norris said his agency was made aware of the issue through a mandatory report on July 21, and the matter was immediately escalated for review.
“An inspector visited the home on July 27th to conduct a mandatory report inspection, which is an inspection carried out in response to any suspected, suspected, or observed abuse, neglect, improper care, or illegal behavior that may result in damage or loss Damage to residents, ”said Norris.
“During an inspection, RHRA inspectors usually speak to management, staff and residents of the home as necessary and review the relevant documentation to make a thorough assessment of all problem areas.”
Norris said the purpose of an inspection is to determine if a home complies with the Retirement Homes Act (2010).
“After an inspection, a draft inspection report is sent to the home that includes all non-compliance findings,” he said. “The home then has the opportunity to demonstrate what corrective action it has taken to achieve compliance.
“A final report is then published publicly on our website, which shows all the results and their results.”
Norris said it could take several weeks for the final inspection report to be available.
“However, in many situations we expect a home to take immediate action to address concerns and we will reach out to the home to ensure they take the necessary steps to do so,” said Norris.
“If at any point there is evidence that the house is not meeting its obligations to protect residents from harm or risk of harm, we can take additional measures if necessary.”
Norris pointed out that the law requires households to have procedures in place to keep the house pest free.
“It is the duty of the home to ensure that all pests in the home are treated in a timely manner and the RHRA will hold homes accountable for this,” he said, adding that his agency does not have statistical information on the frequency of bedbug occurrences in the home Retirement homes.
“But in similar situations, we have worked with the homes as well as our community partners, including local public health, to ensure that residents can live in their homes in confidence, safety and dignity.”
