Nicholas Barboussas, whose father Paul was a resident at St Basil’s Home for the Aged in Fawkner, in Melbourne’s north, and died of COVID-19 on Sunday, says that the aged care facility did not give him and his family proper updates.
Highlights:
- Families of residents of St Basil's Home for the Aged say the facility hasn't been able to provide accurate information about their loved ones
- After allegations of inadequate use of PPE at the facility, Federal Minister for Aged care, Richard Colbeck says there should an "appropriate investigation"
- The son of a deceased resident has accused the facility of insensitivity after St Basil's sent him the bill for the next month just a day after the death of his mother
“On Saturday, they called us and said ‘we are from St Basil’s, your father's state hasn’t changed, he remains in his room’.
“Six hours before that, I had received a call from the hospital where they told me ‘your father is fighting for his life’,” he told SBS Greek.
Mr Barboussas’ father was moved to the hospital on Friday midnight, but not because of the coronavirus.
Nicholas Barboussas with his father Paul and daughters. Source: Supplied
“The only reason he was moved to the hospital was that he fell off his bed,” he said.
“They did a brain scan but he wasn’t hurt from the fall. They told us he had a fever, his oxygen was low, he had difficulty breathing and he was coughing. They didn’t know yet whether it was COVID-19 but they said he might.”
The hospital staff were concerned about 79-year-old Paul’s health because he was exhibiting symptoms of coronavirus.
On Saturday afternoon, he was confirmed as having the virus. That was the day Mr Barboussas last saw his father alive.
“On Saturday night, I managed to do a FaceTime with the Northern Hospital. I talked to [my father] and said the last farewell. He saw his grandchildren, my brother, my wife and we felt a bit better because, until that point, we hadn’t seen him for at least 3-4 weeks.”
Spiro Vasilakis’ mother Maria was a resident of St Basil’s. She was moved to the hospital after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Maria Vasilakis had tested positive for the virus on 17 July. Mr Vasilakis says he was informed that his mother was breathing normally with normal cardiac activity.
When he and his sister visited her at St Basil’s the next day, he says she was being given oxygen supply with her body “slipping from the side of the bed”.
“When nurses and doctors took over the management at St Basil’s we thought it would be better because they were more experienced. But on Thursday afternoon, they called us to give us an update on our mother. They told us that our mother was in St Basil’s even though she had already been moved to the hospital.”
The beleaguered nursing home’s management came under temporary control of federal health authorities on Wednesday after the number of COVID-19 cases at the facility quadrupled in a day last Tuesday.
Mrs Maria Vasilakis with members of her family. Source: Supplied
Federal Minister for Aged Care and Senior Australians, Richard Colbeck said the problems with communication with families of St Basil’s residents had been because of “unfamiliarity” on part of the staff.
“We were very concerned to ensure good communication and established a communication centre to provide daily reports to families. It's a really important part of ensuring families understand what's happening inside.
“The failure and lack of that, I know, has caused angst. Some families we weren't able to get in touch with, while with some families, we did,” Senator Colbeck told SBS Greek.
‘Instead of condolences, they sent us the bill’
But St Basil’s troubles with families of residents aren’t limited to just difficulties with communication.
Mr Vasilakis’ mother Maria Vasilalkis passed away on Thursday, 23 July.
“And the next day, instead of [St Basil’s] sending us something, say condolences, they sent us the bill for August,” said Mr Vasilakis.
St Basil’s chairman Konstantinos Kontis says the accounts are sent automatically.
"The residents' monthly accounts are subcontracted out and are sent automatically on the 20th of every month in advance for the following month. They were sent out before we went into a crisis. We were trying to fight a virus infection and the last thing in our minds was to stop sending the accounts," he told SBS Greek.
Mr Vasilakis also alleges that the staff at the nursing home weren't properly trained in using the PPE. Many other families have also raised allegations of improper and inadequate use of PPE at the facility.
Medical staff are seen preparing to transport people from the St Basils Home for the Aged Care in Fawkner Source: AAP
St Basil’s chairman Konstantin Kontis, in a statement posted online, said the facility had complied with the Feder Department of Health’s directive after the use of PPE was made compulsory from 13 July.
But Senator Colbeck is asking families to send evidence to the federal health authorities.
“I am aware of allegations, in fact, some of those were made to me personally. That needs to be appropriately investigated.
“I’d encourage those who have that evidence to bring it forward, I understand some of those people already have, because it will be necessary for us to conduct an inquiry into events in relation to COVID in aged care,” he said.
