Ken Rekowski has actually needed to make a home of his area at the Renfrew Victoria Hospital for the majority of the last 16 years.
The 53-year-old was very first confessed in 2009 after an auto accident left him with a significant mind injury. Since after that, he’s been waiting on appropriate irreversible treatment in the little neighborhood west of Ottawa.
“As far as I know … I’m cooped up in here for the rest of my life,” Ken claimed.
When CBC News seen in very early February, Ken’s area still had a tiny Christmas tree away, dog-themed designs and an image of Ken with his motorbike and pet dog Harley.
His twin sibling Kareen states he invests most days totally in his bed, although he can navigate making use of a mobility device.
“I feel like criminals have more freedom than I do,” Ken claimed.
Ken still imagines getaways in the neighborhood with friends and family and desires to begin a service including pet dogs.
“I want to get back out into … the free world where I can actually do something productive,” he claimed.
Kareen states Ken is inhabiting a healthcare facility bed since they have not had the ability to obtain the needed helpful look after him to reside in his home town.
“When it comes to acquired brain injury and especially in a small community like ours, there really is no choice. We need to create choices,” she claimed.
Kareen claimed throughout Ken’s lengthy healthcare facility keep, she’s stressed regarding him obtaining ideal treatment in his neighborhood.
After a quick positioning in an area home, Ken is once again dealing with a difficulty encountered by individuals with obtained mind injury in the district: a long unsure delay to be released from healthcare facility.
First remain lasted 13 years
Ken was very first hospitalized in January 2009. On the evening of the auto accident, he got on his method to his work as a security personnel simply outdoors Renfrew,Ont Road problems were inadequate and he blew up of his vehicle.
Initially, physicians believed Ken’s injuries were so extreme that he would not make it through. Kareen states the household was informed to prepare a funeral service.
Ken made it through, however the collision left him with extreme cognitive and physical problems.
He has issues developing brand-new memories, obtains perplexed regarding what year it is and deals with a “right-side deficit” that leaves him with minimal flexibility in his appropriate leg and basically none in his appropriate arm. He additionally calls for a mobility device.
In 2016, a group of experts in Hamilton, Ont., analyzed him over 3 months and ended he should not be occupying a healthcare facility bed. Back in 2019, Ken and Kareen were informed maybe a “lifetime wait.”
Kareen claimed the COVID-19 pandemic intensified the circumstance. Infection control procedures decreased his accessibility to the assistances Kareen had actually prepared to keep his cognitive and physical health and wellness.
In 2022, Ken really felt restored hope when he was supplied an area moneyed by Ontario Health at the Pathways to Independence home in Renfrew.
“They were supposed to be an ABI [acquired brain injury] service provider, which meant we figured the support staff would understand acquired brain injury. We anticipated a plan in place for Ken to meet his needs,” Kareen claimed.
‘Locked up inside’
Hope discolored with time, nevertheless, as Kareen defined an uphill struggle to organize sees and getaways withKen Kareen ended up being stressed bed transfers weren’t being done appropriately.
Overall, Kareen really felt the treatment really did not show Ken’s individual requirements and– much like at the healthcare facility– he was being left in a chair for extended periods of time.
At one factor, she found he would certainly been left in a reclining chair putting on trousers saturated with pee.
“Rather than getting back out into the community again, I was locked up inside in a wheelchair all the time,” Ken claimed.
CBC News connected to Pathways to Independence for a meeting. Acting CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Christie Swann offered a composed declaration and decreased to share information on a “former resident,” mentioning discretion.
Swann claimed the charitable gives citizens with accessibility to a selection of solutions and trains team in dynamic mind injury education and learning. She claimed each staff member in Renfrew gets individually training on bed transfers and tools.
Kareen claimed she grumbled typically and remained in continuous call with administration. She entailed a health and wellness system navigator and also attracted Ontario Health to assist boost Ken’s circumstance.
Swann claimed the company has “a thorough policy” for attending to customer and member of the family issues.
The Ministry of Health claimed it could not discuss Ken’s situation, however if a customer is miserable with just how a supplier deals with a problem, the concern can be taken up with the Health Services Appeal and Review Board in addition to the Patient Ombudsman.
Back in healthcare facility
Kareen claimed Ken’s knee was harmed throughout a bed transfer on the early morning of May 23, 2024, and he was repossessed to the Renfrew Victoria Hospital.
“It’s devastating,” Kareen claimed. “Ken doesn’t want to be there. I don’t want to be going in and out. Kenny’s friends don’t want to visit him there.”
Kareen claimed it has actually been tough to re-establish the assistances Ken had in healthcare facility prior to he was sent out toPathways She has actually prepared an assistance employee to see him Monday to Friday.
“I’m coming in in the evenings and I’m bringing him dinner,” Kareen claimed.
“Ken needs to get out of the hospital. He’s right now pretty much spending … 24/7 in a bed and that … that’s inappropriate.”
After his healthcare facility re-admission, Kareen attempted mosting likely to Ontario’s Patient Ombudsman to have the financing for Ken’s bed moved to a various treatment carrier. She claimed they really did not intend to return to Pathways.
“You have more freedom in hell than you did with Pathways,” Ken claimed.
In a letter from the ombudsman Kareen supplied to CBC News, the workplace claimed financing concerns are outside their territory and she required to deal with the healthcare facility on a discharge strategy.
The Renfrew Victoria Hospital decreased to discuss Ken’s situation.
Ken’s situation not separated
The Ontario Brain Injury Association claimed others are dealing with in a similar way prolonged and unsure delay times to be released from healthcare facility. The district has 33 neighborhood living homes for individuals with obtained mind injury.
The system hasn’t enhanced considering that CBC News reported on the Rekowskis 6 years back.
“Not a whole lot has changed. The government has invested in a few extra beds in some places,” organization head of state Ruth Wilcock claimed.
“There’s a huge gap still. It’s something we do need to advocate for.”
She claimed the organization additionally attempts to assist customers and caretakers promote if they are having concerns with a home.
“It’s not like, well, I stayed in this hotel, I don’t really like it, I’m going down the street to another hotel. That option isn’t there,” she claimed.
“I think the facilities try to do the best they can, but we also know that they’re short funding on their end.”
‘I’ve gotten on my very own’
As for the Rekowskis, Kareen is reflective and tenacious regarding their 16-year trip. Their mommy, currently 83, calls for even more treatment, and Kareen wishes to see enhancement from a system that has allow her down consistently.
“What we need is person-centred care. Our health system is really in a lot of turmoil and we need to change that,” she claimed.
“Ultimately, I’ve been on my own and our family’s been on our own.”
Kareen is connecting straight to provider and attempting to organize real estate so Ken can have both 24-hour assistance and the freedom he requires.
Ken is happy that his sibling hasn’t surrendered.
“Without Kareen’s help, I would be permanently in hell,” he claimed. “She’s a blessing. From day one, she’s always been there for me.”
