Erica Surette says her mother, Patricia West, struggled to adapt to life at the Northwood long-term care home in Halifax. The “fiery” Cape Bretoner valued independence and loved having her own space, but with declining health due to dementia, she required additional supervision.
In March, Northwood staff suggested moving West from a private room to a shared room where her care needs could be met — a move Surette says she objected to in the midst of a pandemic. “The fact that I couldn’t be there to help her get settled in her room, to help show her around, help her understand that this new room was going to be okay… I knew it wasn’t going to be good,” she told Global News.