Bendale Acres (2920 Lawrence Avenue East, Scarborough) is owned and operated by the City of Toronto. There are approximately 300 beds.
Built in the mid-1960s and completely renovated in 1995, this care home features:
- A total of 201 rooms, comprising 100 private and 101 semi-private ones, each equipped with an ensuite washroom, accommodating 302 beds
- Air conditioning in all resident bedrooms
- A spacious atrium-style foyer, enhanced by a fireplace and skylights
- A large, fenced garden area
- An inter-denominational worship center
- Self-contained resident units located on each of the six floors, which include large dining areas, lounges, and rooms dedicated to recreational and rehabilitation activities
Residents receive comprehensive food and nutrition services on their respective units, including three meals and three snacks daily. The menus are thoughtfully curated to incorporate fresh, in-season fruits and vegetables. The home’s registered dietitian offers specialized nutritional support to residents.
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Inspection Reports for Bendale Acres Home
Our research team carefully reviewed and summarized inspection reports for Bendale Acres. You can read the original copies of the reports in the Government of Ontario website.
December 2023
The inspection at Bendale Acres, a long-term care home in Scarborough, was led by Inspector Maya Kuzmin and involved both a complaint and a critical incident inspection. The inspection was conducted onsite from December 4th to 8th, 2023, as mandated by the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021.
The inspection at Bendale Acres highlighted issues in various operational areas, including housekeeping, care plan implementation, infection control, and emergency reporting.
- Housekeeping: An issue with the removal and disposal of garbage was observed but was remedied before the inspection concluded.
- Plan of Care: The care detailed in a resident’s plan, particularly regarding skin integrity, was not provided.
- Failure in Reassessing Plan of Care: The home did not reassess and revise the care plan for a resident whose care needs had changed.
- Infection Prevention and Control Program: Staff failed to participate effectively in the hand hygiene program, including the use of expired alcohol-based hand rub.
- Reporting and Complaints: There was a failure to report a critical incident using the Ministry’s method for after-hours emergency contact.
November 2023
The inspection, led by Ann McGregor, was a combination of a Complaint and Critical Incident inspection. It focused on issues related to resident-to-resident abuse and a resident’s injury of unknown cause, examining the home’s adherence to protocols in Responsive Behaviours and Infection Prevention and Control.
- Responsive Behaviours Program: The staff failed to consistently implement the Behavioral Assessment Tool (BSO-DOS, RC-0517-07). This led to inadequate monitoring and documentation of residents with escalating responsive behaviours, impacting the safety and security of other residents.
- Infection Prevention and Control Policy: Staff members did not adhere to the home’s Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) policy, particularly in performing hand hygiene practices. This non-compliance posed a risk of infection transmission within the facility.
September 2023
The inspection at Bendale Acres was conducted by lead inspector Ramesh Purushothaman and additional inspector Nrupal Patel. This inspection, which took place from August 28 to September 7, 2023, included both on-site and off-site components. It was a combined Complaint and Critical Incident inspection.
The team investigated several intakes, including two Critical Incidents (#00092760 and #00093601) relating to injuries of unknown causes and from a fall. Additionally, two Complaint intakes (#00093001 and #00093566) focused on resident care were inspected.
- Plan of Care: The licensee failed to ensure that equipment specified in a resident’s care plan was used correctly. This non-compliance was highlighted in a Critical Incident System (CIS) report following a resident’s fall and injury. Observations and interviews with staff, including a Personal Support Worker (PSW), Registered Practical Nurse (RPN), and Nurse Manager, confirmed that the equipment was not arranged as per the care plan, putting the resident at risk of falls and related injuries.
July 2023
This follow-up and Critical Incident System (CIS) inspection at Bendale Acres in Scarborough was conducted by lead inspector Michael Chan, with additional inspectors Susan Semeredy and Henry Chong. The inspection, completed on July 24, 2023, addressed various intakes and compliance orders.
The inspection focused on a follow-up intake (#00087752) related to a previously issued compliance order, along with several CIS intakes regarding unexpected death, alleged neglect, injuries of unknown causes, and falls resulting in injury.
- Safe and Secure Home: The home failed to provide a safe environment for a resident, evidenced by a report of an injured resident left unattended on the floor. Staff inadequately responded to the situation, indicating lapses in safety protocols and staff training.
- Plan of Care: Staff failed to effectively collaborate in reassessing a resident’s care needs after an injury. This lack of interdisciplinary coordination led to inadequate updates in the resident’s care plan, increasing the risk of further injury.
- Minimizing of Restraining: The home did not include the use of a personal assistance service device (PASD) in a resident’s care plan. This oversight resulted in inconsistent care provision and increased risk to the resident.
May 2023
This inspection was a response to both complaints and critical incidents. Inspectors involved included Wing-Yee Sun, Ryan Randhawa, Susan Semeredy, Michael Chan, and Shuang (Cindy) Ma.
- Transferring and Positioning Techniques: The home failed to adhere to safe transferring techniques for a resident, resulting in injury. Staff did not follow the resident’s care plan, leading to improper transfer and subsequent harm.
- Responsive Behaviours: There were two cases where the home did not implement strategies for residents with responsive behaviours, resulting in injury in one case. This highlighted a failure in following care plans tailored to individual needs.
- Residents’ Bill of Rights: Two incidents violated a resident’s rights to proper care and services. PSWs neglected to assist the resident adequately in daily living activities, impacting the resident’s dignity and safety.
- Plan of Care: The home failed to update care plans timely when residents’ needs changed. This resulted in delayed treatment and potential deterioration in residents’ conditions, specifically in pain management and wound care.
- Skin and Wound Care: Weekly assessments for residents with altered skin integrity were not consistently performed. This oversight could delay treatment and healing.
- Repositioning of Residents: Staff failed to reposition a resident every two hours as required, increasing the risk of delayed healing for skin impairments.
- Police Notification: The home delayed notifying the police of an alleged physical abuse incident, potentially hindering timely investigation.
- Complaints Procedure: A complaint concerning the care of a resident was not immediately forwarded to the Director, against the home’s policy.
April 2022
Inspectors Jack Shi and Catherine Ochnik carried out this inspection from March 11 to March 21, 2022. The inspection’s primary focus was to address specific complaints received.
The inspection revealed a significant non-compliance concerning end-of-life care. The licensee failed to provide appropriate end-of-life care that met a resident’s needs. A complaint initiated the inquiry, noting that the resident did not receive proper end-of-life care despite a noticeable decline in their condition. Although an initial assessment deemed the resident ineligible for end-of-life care, the staff failed to reassess the resident’s condition in a timely manner as the resident continued to decline. The resident was eventually deemed eligible for end-of-life care but passed away on the same day, indicating a significant delay in providing necessary care. Nurse Managers acknowledged the need for more frequent assessments during gradual declines in residents’ health to initiate end-of-life care timely.
January 2022
Inspectors Jack Shi and Ella Levinskaya conducted a Critical Incident System inspection. The inspection was focused on responding to critical incidents reported in the facility, including an incident of resident-to-resident abuse.
- Infection Prevention and Control (IPAC) Program: The inspection found non-compliance with O.Reg 79/10, s. 229, as staff and essential caregivers did not consistently follow IPAC practices. This included improper use of PPE and failure to adhere to contact/droplet precautions.
- Duty to Protect from Abuse: The facility failed to protect a resident from physical abuse by another resident, as defined by section 19(1) of LTCHA, 2007.
- Altercations and Interactions Between Residents: Bendale Acres did not adequately minimize risks of altercations and potentially harmful interactions between residents, specifically in relation to responsive behaviours.