Alberta’s health minister orders reviews after mice found biting patient’s face

EDMONTON – Alberta’s health minister has ordered an investigation into a complaint that mice were found nibbling on the face of a dementia patient at a long-term care home.

Fred Horne says the probe will be conducted under the Protection for Persons in Care Act, along with a review into whether health standards were breached at the Lethbridge facility.

He says he doesn’t know how long the two reviews will take but the results of both will be made public.

Horne also says Alberta Health Services will monitor operations at St. Therese Villa pending the results.

The group Friends of Medicare has alleged care home staff found mice on the face of the patient, a woman who has disabilities and would not have been able to move the rodents away.

The health-care advocacy group also says staff first complained about mice a year ago and they have also been fighting a bed bug infestation.