REST HOME HORROR CAREGIVER THROTTLED FRAIL PATIENT

Allegations of elder abuse, assault and neglect among raft of complaints

Acaregiver allegedly put her hands around the throat of a frail patient, another woman was left on the floor overnight after a fall and other rest home residents were left soaked in urine.

Those claims are part of a raft of complaints made this year about a number of aged care facilities, details of which have been obtained by the Herald on Sunday.

Documents outline disturbing allegations, including elder abuse, residents being left with painful bed sores, and staff not responding to stroke symptoms and refusing a family member’s request for help taking their relative to the toilet.

Some complaints led to action, including a back-down over incorrect and costly charges for a so-called “premium” room. However, others weren’t substantiated by district health boards, and in at least one case that appears to have happened based largely on the facility’s own inquiries.

There are now renewed calls for the Government to beef-up efforts to protect residents and their families, including through the establishment of an aged care commissioner, which Labour and the Green Party campaigned on, but have so far failed to take action on.

One of the most serious complaints was made in February by Age Concern about O’Conor Home in Westport, home to about 60, including those with advanced dementia.

Age Concern was contacted by a person who, documents indicate, worked at or was associated with the rest home. A “very sick elderly gentleman who has trouble with mobility” was in bed when a caregiver checked on him, Age Concern explained in an email forwarded to the DHB.

When the man lifted his hand the caregiver thought he was going to hit her, so she pinned him down. “But as the other carers know you just stand back until he has moved, not pin him down,” Age Concern wrote.

“[Redacted] witnessed her putting her hands around his throat and swearing at him . . . [she] is well known to swear at the residents most of the time and is very rough with them”, the complaint contended. Multiple incident reports were filled out “plus many statements from other caregivers about [her] attitude towards the residents”.

After the complaint, West Coast DHB contacted the home. “There are a few staff interpersonal dynamics alive, but in fact the staff member in question has acted inappropriately,” a file note from the DHB summarised.

The caregiver received a written warning, was taken off night shift and ordered to retrain.

A person who answered the phone at O’Conor Home declined to comment. Emailed questions went unanswered.

West Coast DHB general manager Philip Wheble said it had confidence in O’Conor’s management team as well as the Ministry of Health’s auditing process. “The manager of O’Conor Home informed us that the allegations were unsubstantiated.”

Associate Health Minister Jenny Salesa received preliminary advice from officials on setting up an aged care commissioner more than a year ago. She told the Herald on Sunday it was still under consideration, and a number of changes were being made to better protect rest home residents.

Grey Power national president Mac Welch said a powerful watchdog was urgently needed.

“We are totally distressed and very upset with [Labour] that they haven’t kept their promise. It was a firm commitment given by the current Minister of Health prior to the election.”

NZ Aged Care Association chief executive Simon Wallace said poor care was never condoned, but when instances did happen a very robust complaints process was in place.

[She] is well known to swear at the residents most of the time and is very rough with them. Complainant