Family alleges B.C. retirement home covered up assault on disabled 75-year-old

KAMLOOPS, B.C. – The family of a disabled B.C. man is suing a retirement home, alleging staff did nothing to stop a sexual assault by another resident, then conspired to keep it quiet.

A document filed in B.C. Supreme Court says the 75-year-old man moved into Kamloops Seniors Village since last spring after a heart condition left him incapable of caring for himself.

The family alleges that on April 13, an employee left him alone in a room with another resident and returned to see him being scratched, hit and sexually assaulted.

It says the employee didn’t stop the attack.

They allege staff then conspired at a meeting to keep silent and conceal the incident from the man’s wife, doctor and others.

The court document alleges the man’s wife noticed scratches on his thighs and was told by an employee that he must have injured himself.

Nine days later, on April 22, the alleged victim was in “significant distress” when placed at a dinner table with the alleged assailant and his wife, the notice of civil claim says.

It says the man had two instances of unstable angina in the days following the alleged assault and that he is paranoid of male visitors and reluctant to leave his room.

The man’s family alleges that he now suffers from post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, fatigue, sleeplessness, unstable angina and aggravation of his existing heart condition.

“The plaintiff remains apprehensive, stressed and paranoid of male visitors,” the notice of civil claim says. “He asks to have his door locked and is reluctant to leave his room.”

The document says the man pays nearly $3,000 a month to stay at the retirement home.

Their lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, health care costs, moving costs and a restraining order.

A spokeswoman for Retirement Concepts, the company that operates Kamloops Seniors Village, confirmed that an internal investigation has been launched but would not comment further.

In addition to the care home, the alleged assailant and a John Doe care home employee are listed as defendants in the court document. They have three weeks to file a response.

None of the allegations have been tested in court. (Kamloops This Week)

Note to readers: This is a corrected story. An earlier version incorrectly reported the employee is a woman.