The family of Clifford Ouellette says staff in the pulmonary ward at the Peter Lougheed Centre did not properly take care of him.

The 80 year old went to the hospital last March after a heart attack. His condition was serious and he stayed in the ICU for months while he recovered.

When he was well enough, he was moved to Unit 39, the pulmonary ward, and that’s where his family says the level of care dropped.

“He was always so dirty, they wouldn’t shower him, he couldn’t walk on his own, he needed help getting back and forth to the bathroom. I just complained to the unit manager,” said Roxanne Ouellette, Cliff’s daughter.

She said she often found her father sitting in dried up feces, and said the neglect led to a fall that left Cliff with cuts and bruises, so she complained again and again.

“I said, this is unacceptable, this is horrible, I can’t believe this went on at the hospital, my Dad just, like, died for four and a half minutes and this is the treatment he gets?” she said.

Roxanne said a doctor eventually called to apologize and said he would talk to the nursing staff and aides about Cliff’s care. But the family says the emotional toll has been devastating. They are suing for $150,000.

In a statement of defence Alberta Health Services says that it provided hospital care and facilities that were reasonably safe and suited to the care and treatment of Mr. Ouellette.

No court date has been set.