I found dying mum alone at care home covered in vomitand blood
A HEARTBROKEN son yesterday told how his 85-year-old mother died just hours after he found her covered in blood and vomit at a care home.
Peter Sawyckyj, 65, saw frail Doris Sawyckyj slumped in a chair “hanging on for grim death” at the home where she had been transferred following hospital treatment.
The great-grandmother of seven had been moved to The Beacon care home in Cleethorpes, Lincs, to recuperate after a chest infection.
The former accountant was described as remaining “mentally sharp” and Mr Sawyckyj had been preparing for her to move back home when he visited on June 14 to find her in the desperate condition.
He alerted staff and paramedics were called.
The widowed mother of two was transferred to hospital displaying what her son said were signs of sepsis.
A consultant said it was “too late” to save her and she died hours later of multiple organ failure and pneumonia.
Mr Sawyckyj complained to the Care Quality Commission and asked the owners Care Plus Group to investigate.
An inquiry by independent social work company Focus found clear “errors of judgment regarding being responsible to Doris’s ever changing and deteriorating condition and contacting health professionals earlier in the day”.
The probe also found “little detail” had been recorded by hand or electronically.
However, a Care Plus Group spokesman said they had repeatedly apologised but added that the inquiry found actions by staff were “not a contributory factor” in the death.
Mr Sawyckyj, a self- employed joiner, believes his mother suffered a fall which may have caused internal bleeding. He said: “When I found mum at about 7.45pm she had blood and vomit on her top and in a bowl. I was told by a member of staff she’d been like that since 2pm. When I visited her the night before she was mentally aware and just her normal self.
“I feel that at some point between my speaking with her occupational therapist about her coming home and seeing her that night she had a fall.”
Mr Sawyckyj, who cared for his mother with wife Andreia, 51, said he had hoped antibiotics would have improved Doris’s chances of survival.
Chris Gresswell-Green, of Bridge McFarland Solicitors, said: “Care home staff have a duty of care for the vulnerable people they look after, and for a son to find his mother distressed, injured and ignored is completely unacceptable.”