After her family advocated for her, an 86-year-old blind woman is getting better treatment from Fraser Health than the health authority's original plan – a taxi dropping her off at a shelter on Vancouver's Downtown Eastside.

On Tuesday, Nov. 26, a cab collected Gwendolyn Deraspe from Ridge Meadows Hospital, and drove her to the DTES Women's Centre. However, the staff there said they could not accommodate her health needs – she is blind and frail, and has mobility issues.

After media became involved, the cab took her back to the Maple Ridge hospital. It has shone a light on important issues around seniors health care and housing, said Jim Caya, the woman's son-in-law. He met with hospital officials after, and said "obviously, they're very apologetic."

"It has opened a whole can of worms – unfortunately, Wendy's situation is not new," said Caya.

He and his wife Maria were shocked at the hospital's plan when they learned of it on Monday.

"They wanted me to sign off on it," he said, but Caya refused, saying a homeless shelter is not an appropriate place for a Deraspe.

"It's a very dangerous environment for old, frail people," said Caya. "Fortunately, Wendy had us to advocate for her."

"Not only would it be terrifying for her, but also dangerous. It's horrific. I would never treat anyone like that."

The family contacted 22 media outlets on Monday night, reporters met the cab at the shelter, and the story soon was making headlines. Caya believes that's why Fraser Health turned the taxi back to Maple Ridge. 

When Deraspe learned where she was going, she questioned whether she wanted to continue living, he said.

"Wendy holds a very good conversation, and believe it or not, she still has a good sense of humour," said Caya. 

He was called back into a meeting at the hospital when his mother-in-law returned, and is reassured.

The family has learned she is soon getting cataract treatment which should return her vision, and a good result is expected.

"It's an easy fix," said Caya. "She'll be able to see, and do a lot of things for herself."

Health officials are also looking for suitable accommodations.

Deraspe has been in hospital for approximately four months, originally admitted due to a heart condition. Caya said she could have been discharged long ago if she was given care, and housing with appropriate supports. 

While her family cannot take her in, he said they will be able to support her, and he's confident she can live independently in a seniors facility.

He's involved in a bureaucratic quagmire, because Deraspe, from England, does not have Canadian citizenship despite having been married to a Canadian, Jim Deraspe, for three decades. They had been living with his son in Cranbrook. Her husband died in July from a sudden heart attack, and she was returned to the Lower Mainland, and soon after wound up in Ridge Meadows Hospital needing medical care.

She has applied to stay in Canada, with her family, on humanitarian grounds.

"We sincerely apologize for the confusion and distress this patient has experienced," said Fraser Health spokesperson Nick Eagland in a statement. "We have brought the patient back to Ridge Meadows Hospital and are working to connect her to appropriate partners who can assist in finding housing. We should have done better and connected the patient with appropriate housing supports."
 
In situations where a person being discharged does not have a home, or their usual support network cannot take them in, and where they do not qualify for a placement in subsidized long-term care or assisted living, care teams will provide them with information and support related to their public and private housing options which may include shelters, transitional housing and other types of housing; work with them to answer their questions; and guide them toward appropriate resources based on their situation. 
 
He said they may receive home support and home health services. However, to be eligible for subsidized home and community care services, a person must be a Canadian citizen, have permanent resident status, or have been issued a temporary resident permit.
 
If a patient is discharged and they do not have a home, their care team will work to connect them with appropriate services. 

"In a case like this, our typical protocol would be to ensure that the discharged patient had a safe, appropriate place to go," he said. "Regrettably, we failed to confirm ahead of time whether the shelter had an appropriate bed available to the patient. We should have done better and connected the patient with appropriate housing supports. We are truly sorry for this mistake."