When surgery left Isabel Stewart temporarily unable to walk, she never imagined she would have to venture to the other side of town for her daily dressing changes.
Stewart, a retired Flin Flonner, said she was instructed to attend the home care office on Church Street to have a nurse replace the bandages on her right leg.
“It’s a real big inconvenience for me to have to go every day to home care,” she said. “It’s an inconvenience when you can’t walk.”
Stewart, 76, said she was shocked to learn that in-home dressing changes were not available to her. She approached The Reminder with her story
because she felt it was important to draw attention to the matter.
Stewart underwent bypass surgery on her right leg in February, necessitating daily bandage replacements. Unable to put much weight on her leg, she now relies on a wheelchair and help from husband Andy to leave her home.
If the inconvenience weren’t enough, Stewart said she was recently being wheeled to the home care office when she took a tumble to the pavement. Her wheelchair had become snagged in a deep sidewalk crack. She suffered aches and pains but no fractures.
She said she is thankful to the young man who helped her climb back into her wheelchair – she’s unsure of his name – but is hoping others in her situation will not have to endure daily trips to the home care office.
Northern Health Region spokeswoman Twyla Storey said the home care program does send nurses into homes to help care for housebound patients.
“If patients are mobile and able to attend the home care office, they are asked to attend to receive treatment,” she said.
Storey said a case coordinator assesses and determines the services required of patients.
“The assessment process is done with the client in person and in consultation,” she said.
Storey said the NHR has “a back-up plan” for all home care clients. Those deemed in need of essential services have “varying options” for treatment, she said, including attending the ER or clinic if able, or admission to the hospital if warranted.
Stewart has visited the ER for dressing changes and is happy with the care offered there, though she’s not sure how she would navigate the alternate entrance now set up amid construction of the new ER.
She was staying at the hospital as of last week, still recovering from her bypass surgery. She wouldn’t hazard a guess as to when she will be able to walk again.
Herself a retired nurse, Stewart said she knows how to change her own bandages but is unable to see around her foot.
