In late October the local health unit ordered Powassan’s Dosanjh long-term care home, a place for people with mental issues, closed over concerns for the health of residents living there.
The facility has now rectified the situation and has re-opened says its manager Lovepreet Singh, in an email to BayToday.
"Dosanjh Care Residence is open," wrote Singh. "Public health issued a closure order on October 27. Orders were appealed, supported by expert reports. Closure orders were rescinded by Public Health on Nov 20. Home is open and expects its residents to come back as soon as possible for their mental health and wellbeing. We will continue to serve our residents with excellent services."
See: Mould and mouse feces close Powassan home for those with mental health issues
In a phone interview, Singh told BayToday that he could not speak to having experts appealing the Health Unit order, but confirmed all health concerns have been addressed and he said no mould had been found during inspections.
Singh also says a pest control company visits the home twice a month for inspections.
The 37 residents are being temporarily housed in a Lakeshore Drive motel, and Singh says he expects all the residents to be back in the home by next week, adding the whole episode has been bad for business.
The residence is a congregate living setting for those with mental health issues.
The Health Unit, in an email to BayToday, says it is mandated to conduct routine inspections of food preparation and storage areas and it did an audit at Dosanjh on Monday, October 24, in response to a complaint about issues with deteriorating cleanliness, issues with mould, issues with mouse feces, and numerous other violations.
Among the things the Health Unit claimed were not in compliance:
- Food contact surfaces washed/rinsed/sanitized after each use and following any operations when contamination may have occurred
- Adequate protection against the entrance of insects, vermin, and rodents. Evidence of pests observed.
- Thermometers used to verify food preparation and storage temperatures
- Hand washing basin with supplies of hot and cold water, soap in a dispenser and single-use towels
- Washing hands thoroughly before and after handling food
- Floors are clean and in good repair
The order can be rescinded once remediation is complete, and a satisfactory reinspection occurs, which has occurred.
"The Health Unit issued a closure order based on reasonable and probable grounds of health hazards existing in the facility, related to unsanitary conditions," it said in October.
A Health Unit document on the door indicates the facility has passed that re-inspection. A call to the Health Unit to clarify whether the company successfully appealed the order was not returned.
Dosanjh is an independently owned care home that operates under the Community Homes for Opportunity (CHO) program. That program is intended to assist tenants by providing appropriate housing and support services within their own community.
