20 When Ron Northrop brought an elderly family member to the Lakeridge Health Oshawa emergency department on Jan. 5, it never occurred to him that he wouldn't be able to stay by their side. The Whitby resident was shocked when he was told to leave and says he pleaded with staff, citing the fact that his relative was "extremely sick and vulnerable and disoriented." Still, Northrup says, he was told it wasn't possible for support people to remain with patients. "I understand that we are in a pandemic and things are serious right now. But to force me to leave a very vulnerable person all alone without anyone to advocate for them or comfort them ... I was just absolutely sick with worry," Northrop says. Several concerned residents have contacted durhamregion.com to share similar experiences. With long wait times in busy emergency departments, there are worries that vulnerable patients left on their own may not be able to speak up for themselves or ask for help if they need it. "Is someone even watching these people left sitting there alone for hours? What if they need to go to the bathroom or their condition is getting worse? Some people aren't even mobile to go ask for help on their own," says Heather Demers, who had to leave her "frail" father-in-law alone in the Oshawa ER earlier this week. Lakeridge Health updated its visitor policy on Dec. 22 in response to the Omicron variant surge. It notes that people attending an outpatient appointment or visiting the emergency department are allowed to have one "essential partner-in-care" with them -- unless "volumes are high and care areas have reached maximum capacity." In a statement to durhamregion.com, Lakeridge Health says its emergency departments are "experiencing extremely high volumes" and that efforts need to be made to minimize overcrowding and ensure the safety of patients and staff. "The (emergency department) team is carefully considering each patient's circumstance to ensure the most vulnerable patients are supported by their essential partner-in-care during times of increased volumes. All other (essential partners in care) will be welcomed to the bedside as soon as it is safe to do so," the statement says. The visitor policy also notes that all in-patients admitted to a Lakeridge Health hospital are allowed to have two visitors who can rotate in for daily visits, while pregnant people in labour are allowed to have one support person. Many hospitals in Ontario have tightened visitor policies as the Omicron variant surges. For example, Unity Health Toronto -- which includes St. Joseph's Health Centre and St. Michael's Hospital -- is not allowing in-patients to have visitors at all if their stay is expected to be less than seven days and will only allow support people to accompany an ER patient in certain circumstances. In an interview on Jan. 4, Lakeridge Health chief of staff Dr. Tony Stone said local hospitals are under "enormous pressure," with about 60 people admitted to Lakeridge Health hospitals with COVID-19 and another 40 under investigation. Stone said those numbers are expected to keep climbing and urged community members to help preserve hospital capacity. Lakeridge Health is encouraging anyone who is mildly or moderately ill to contact their primary care provider or consider an inperson urgent care or walk-in clinic or virtual options like Durham Virtual Urgent Care or Urgent Care Durham. For seniors with urgent but non-life-threatening health issues, there is also the new Seniors Urgency Room in Oshawa. Lakeridge Health emergency rooms do not provide COVID-19 tests. Those who meet the province's new eligibility requirements for a PCR test can book one at covidswab.lh.ca. - With files from Keith Gilligan OMICRON MEANS ER PATIENTS MAY NOT BE ALLOWED A SUPPORT PERSON NEWS LAKERIDGE HEALTH OFFICIALS SAY LOCAL HOSPITALS UNDER 'ENORMOUS PRESSURE' JILLIAN FOLLERT jfoller t@durhamregion.com Lakeridge Health has tightened visitor rules amid the Omicron variant surge. Ryan Pfeiffer/Metroland dryer Call us 905-429-2351 or 1-866-601-3083 & book your tour today!! 30 Adelaide Avenue E., Oshawa (Simcoe &Adelaide, across from hospital reception@royalheights.ca www.royalheights.ca Downsize Space. Upgrade Style. 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