Macassa Lodge (701 Upper Sherman Avenue, Hamilton) is a nursing home that is owned and operated by the City of Hamilton.. There are approximately 270 beds in private, semi-private, and two-person rooms.
Macassa Lodge offers an Adult Day Program (ADP) in Hamilton, serving as a valuable community support resource for seniors. This program not only benefits the elderly participants by offering a range of social, recreational, intellectual, and physical activities in a well-structured and supervised group environment, but it also provides essential information, support, and much-needed respite for caregivers. Participants in the ADP enjoy a host of services including a hot lunch, refreshments, medication reminders, and help with daily living activities, all designed to enhance their overall well-being and social engagement.
Inspection Reports for Macassa Lodge
Our research team carefully reviewed and summarized inspection reports for Macassa Lodge. You can read the original copies of the reports in the Government of Ontario website.
April 2023
The inspection at Macassa Lodge in Hamilton was conducted under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021. Led by Parminder Ghuman, along with additional inspector Betty Jean Hendricken, the inspection took place over several days in March 2023. This was a comprehensive review encompassing various types of inspections, including complaint and critical incident system inspections.
The inspection focused on multiple intakes, primarily concerning the neglect of residents by staff, falls resulting in serious injuries like fractures and lacerations, and instances of physical, verbal, and sexual abuse among residents. These intakes spanned across different categories, indicating a range of issues within the facility.
A significant non-compliance issue (NC #001) was identified related to the mandatory reporting of abuse or neglect. In one instance, a staff member documented an incident where a resident was found in a situation that suggested abuse but failed to report it to the Registered Nurse or the Director, as required by the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021, section 28 (1) 2. This failure in protocol not only violated the policy but also put residents at risk of harm.
February 2023
This report details a Proactive Compliance Inspection (PCI) conducted at Macassa Lodge, Hamilton, under the Fixing Long-Term Care Act, 2021. The inspection, led by Lisa Bos and Daria Trzos, spanned several days in January 2023.
- Unlocked Balcony Doors: The facility failed to ensure doors leading to an unenclosed balcony were locked. This was remedied by locking the doors as per policy.
- Unposted Visitor Policy: The visitor policy was not posted in the home. After the inspection, it was displayed in the screening area.
- Disinfection of Equipment: The facility failed to disinfect a mechanical lift after use. The issue was addressed by reinforcing the policy for equipment disinfection.
- Drug Destruction and Disposal: There was inconsistency in the disposal of narcotics, not aligning with the policy. Staff were re-educated on correct disposal methods.
- Quality Improvement Report: The interim continuous quality improvement report for 2022-2023 was not shared with the Residents’ and Family Councils as required.
March 2022
This report presents the findings of a Critical Incident System inspection. The inspection, led by Jennifer Allen, took place over multiple days, focusing on falls management.
The inspection at Macassa Lodge identified critical areas of non-compliance related to infection control and resident safety. These included inadequate use of PPE by staff and insufficient hand hygiene practices for residents, particularly post-meal.
- Non-Compliance in PPE Usage: Staff were observed not wearing the required Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when interacting with suspected COVID-19 cases. This was in direct violation of the home’s policies and increased the risk of resident exposure to infectious organisms.
- Inadequate Hand Hygiene Program: The home failed to ensure a proper hand hygiene program, specifically after meals. Observations indicated that residents were not offered or provided hand hygiene assistance after dining. The existing policy lacked components for resident hand hygiene post meals and snacks, which was acknowledged by the Infection Control Practitioner.
April 2021
The inspection at Macassa Lodge, conducted by Leah Curle and team, was a Critical Incident System inspection spanning several days in March and April 2021. The inspection covered various incidents logged between 2020 and 2021.
The inspection at Macassa Lodge revealed several areas of non-compliance concerning infection control, resident care plans, fall prevention procedures, protection from abuse, pain management documentation, and adherence to licensing conditions.
- Infection Control Non-Compliance: Failures in universal masking requirements and participation in the infection prevention and control program were observed, increasing the risk of infection transmission.
- Plan of Care Non-Compliance: Documentation inadequacies in fall interventions and revisions of care plans following changes in resident care needs were noted.
- Policy and Protocol Non-Compliance: The Falls Prevention and Injury Program was not fully complied with, specifically in the initiation of fall risk screenings.
- Protection from Abuse: The home failed to protect residents from abuse by other residents on multiple occasions.
- Pain Management Program Non-Compliance: Actions related to pain management for two residents were not documented as required.
- Failure to Comply with License Conditions: The home did not comply with the practice requirements under the Long-Term Care Home Service Accountability Agreement, particularly in the use of RAI-MDS assessment tools.
February 2020
During the course of the inspection, the inspectors made relevant observations, reviewed records and conducted interviews. There were no findings of non-compliance.
January 2020
Conducted by Emmy Hartmann, this Critical Incident System inspection at Macassa Lodge occurred over several days in December 2019. The inspection focused on various incidents, mainly involving falls leading to hospital transfers and follow-up inspections related to compliance orders.
The inspection revealed non-compliance in key areas related to falls prevention and management, and the execution of care plans.
- Plan of Care Non-Compliance: The licensee failed to ensure the care set out in the plan of care was provided as specified, particularly noted in the case of a resident who fell and was subsequently hospitalized.
- Policy Non-Compliance: There was a failure to comply with the Falls Prevention and Management program. Specifically, the staff did not conduct a Falls Risk Assessment as required after multiple falls by a resident, leading to a significant change in their condition.
October 2019
The follow-up inspection at Macassa Lodge was conducted by Lisa Vink. This inspection was a continuation of a previous inspection, specifically focusing on a compliance issue identified in log number 013966-19.
The follow-up inspection at Macassa Lodge indicated that the facility had successfully addressed the specific compliance issue related to the plan of care.
August 2019
A comprehensive inspection was conducted to focus on several key areas of resident care and safety.
- Falls Management Program: The home did not fully implement its Falls Management Program. Moreover, the documentation for residents who experienced falls, especially unwitnessed falls, was not thorough. There were gaps in conducting these essential assessments.
- Restraints Policy: The home did not adhere to its own policy on minimizing the use of restraints. The initial and quarterly assessments necessary for the safe and justified use of restraints were also not conducted.
- Care Plan Deficiencies: The care plans for residents were not based on thorough interdisciplinary assessments. Moreover, specifically, the inspectors noted an incident where a resident’s restraints were removed by another resident, suggesting a lack of monitoring and proper intervention planning.
