One person was killed and another taken to hospital after an attack inside the Wexford Residence for Seniors. Peter Roy Brooks has been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault after the beating death Wednesday night of Joycelyn Dickson, 72. A 91-old woman, seen here, was also injured in the incident.Manny Rodrigues
Management at a Scarborough seniors' home was warned that a 72-year-old man living there was violent, a week before he was charged with attacking two other residents, a union official says.
Peter Roy Brooks has been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault after the beating death Wednesday night of Joycelyn Dickson, 72. A 91-old woman was also injured in the incident.
The three lived at the Wexford Residence long-term care facility.
"Staff did express concerns that this individual was violent," said Candace Rennick, a regional vice-president for CUPE, which represents employees at the long-term care facility.
She said the Wexford's administration was told about Mr. Brooks's behaviour last week. "I don't have any information on whether or not the home took any precautionary measure to deal with that. But our members did address the fact that they had concerns that this individual was demonstrating some violent behaviour… towards other residents," Ms. Rennick said in an interview.
She said a number of complaints lodged against the residence suggest that it was understaffed.
Inspection records at the Ministry of Health and Long-term Care show complaints filed against the residence last year, ranging from failure to have written plans of care for each resident to abusive behaviour by staff.
Several inspections last year found that staff had failed to follow proper dietary and mobility plans for some residents.
On Oct. 16, 2012, a provincial inspector looked into allegations that one staff member had shoved food into a resident's face before yelling at them and pushing their wheelchair in a jolting manner. The Wexford received a complaint from family about the incident, but failed to investigate the matter fully, according to the inspector's report.
Other reports filed by provincial inspectors show that staff have not used safe resident transfer methods on a number of occasions, causing at least one fall.
Furthermore, in September 2011, the ministry faulted the residence for interfering in the election for the residence's family council. The Wexford administration confirmed that it nominated and actively supported a candidate.
Executive director Sandy Bassett did not immediately replied to a request for comments about the union's claim and the residence's record of complaints.
Ms. Bassett had previously declined comment on the events when contacted Thursday, saying: "I'm not prepared to give any statement. It's a police investigation and we'll talk later. I can't say anything at this point in time."
The co-chairs of the family council also would not answer questions.
"The Wexford Residence Family Council wishes to extend its deepest sympathies to the families of The Wexford Residence. Due to the ongoing police investigation, we cannot comment further at this time," Linda Strome and David Bushell said in an e-mail Friday.
Founded by the Brotherhood Foundation, an arm of the Church of the Christian Brotherhood, the residence is run by a non-profit corporation.
The seven-storey complex, which opened in 1978, comprises both long-term care and apartments for people over 59. Some of the units are subsidized by the city's social housing program.
A weapon was reportedly seized. Police would not describe it but a report said police were seen carrying a cane away from the premises.
With a report from Jill Mahoney