CALGARY -- Clarence Hollingworth has been a resident of Millrise Seniors Village for a little more than 18 months but says care has drastically deteriorated during the novel coronavirus pandemic . 

The 105-year-old, who recently tested negative for COVID-19, says he is fairly healthy despite the fact he broke his hip in November and is now confined to a wheelchair. He says the same can't be said for the current state of the care centre.

"When that virus hit and we got locked down, all hell broke loose," said Hollingworth. 

The senior says he is going blind and requires a little more attention from staff.  These days, even breakfast can take hours to be served.

"When I push the call button, I never seem to get it and they tell me they’re busy," said Hollingworth. "That’s right, I know they’re busy, they got a lot to work with. Surely within four hours you should get some kind of answer."

Alberta Health Services (AHS) has taken over the facility with 20 staff being deployed over the weekend to help with outbreak control, staffing concerns and infection prevention and control measures. 

"I see them around all the time but they are busy beavers." 

Families of residents say a number of the staff members had gone into self-isolation, had contracted the virus or just walked away from their duties. 

There have been 19 confirmed cases of coronavirus at the care home and one person has died. Nine staff members have also contracted the virus. 

Hollingworth says that it’s been difficult to even get the attention of staff just to go to the washroom. 

"It’s sort of take a number and wait," he said. "The pain I suffer when I have to go to the bathroom and can’t go because they are busy doing many other things."

Hollingworth says he is fairly self-sufficient but with a decline in care, he says he has spent some days in his pyjamas without being helped to change. 

He adds that he has had phenomenal care in the past from staff at the facility but as his eyesight deteriorates, he needs more help now especially with going to the bathroom. 

"You can’t even get your pants down without losing your balance and to hang on it takes pretty well two hands."

Dr. Deena Hinshaw, Alberta's chief medical officer of health, said AHS has received complaints and opened an investigation into the quality of care at the facility.

"I understand that that facility is being monitored. Support is being offered to make sure they have adequate staffing levels and that if they are not able to bring up care within the required timeframe, options would be looked at to make sure the residents get the care that they need."

CTV News has reached out to Millrise Seniors Village and the company that operates the facility — Vancouver-based West Coast Seniors Housing Management — said the virus has presented them with a number of challenges.

"The circumstances have been very much impacted by the number of management and front-line staff who have been placed in self-isolation at home in recent days, and the number of staff who have taken leaves of absence for various reasons. In spite of these challenges, all residents are being provided catered food from an external restaurant and it is being delivered hot, and in a timely manner."

Staff say AHS needed to interevene because of the number of staff who had become symptomatic and needed to take time off.

"We are appreciative of AHS assistance during this difficult period."

The company said Monday it is providing daily updates to families by email and added that, during this period, care for residents remains its top priority.