Community Living B.C. is working to improve the way it responds to the deaths of adults with developmental disabilities in group homes, home shares or other living arrangements.
The government agency plans to release an updated guide later this year, outlining how it expects caregivers and administrators to deal with families after a death.
It’s the latest move by CLBC to strengthen its relationship with clients and families after coming under fire two years ago for closing homes and cutting services.
Communications director David Hurford said the revised policies could have resolved some of the issues that surfaced after the death of 65-year-old Darby William Britton at a group home in 2011. Britton’s siblings complained recently that they were left in the dark after his death and said they are still searching for answers.
Britton died four days after he fell from his bed in a home run by the Mission Association for Community Living. Investigators concluded that a bed rail malfunctioned. Staff had noticed a problem with the rail two days earlier, but left the bed in service, investigators found.
Community Living B.C. has moved to arrange a meeting with the family after inquiries by the Times Colonist.
Hurford said front-line agencies that are under contract with CLBC will remain the main point of contact for families. But he said there is an opportunity for CLBC, as the government oversight body, to be more proactive and ensure that families get the help and the information they need after a death.
He said an updated guide to end-of-life issues will make it clear what CLBC expects from service providers and offer a set of protocols for reporting, documenting and reviewing deaths.
“Part of it is service providers wanting a tool from us, because these are difficult situations for them as well,” he said. “It’s very difficult to train people for these kinds of situations, because every family reacts differently.”
Hurford said there was no specific incident that prompted the policy revision.
“It is becoming an issue with the older population that we’re serving, but I think it’s just part of continuous quality improvement and realizing that, when it comes to these situations, there has to be an increased level of sensitivity and outreach to the families.”
The updated policy will provide information on supports for grieving families and encourage proper planning well before a client requires end-of-life care.
