Care home firm’s payout for ‘abuse’ of disabled man
CLAIM ALLEGED ‘NEGLECT’ DURING HIS STAY
A CARE home company has paid out a settlement to an elderly disabled man who was allegedly ‘dragged’ out of bed, ‘scalded’ and ‘improperly handled.’
David Taylor, 80, also lost skin on his hands and was left with bruises following ‘abuse and neglect’ in Middleton in 2014, it was claimed.
The retired builder, who has motor neurone disease, can no longer speak but used his communication device to explain to his relatives what had allegedly happened.
Now David’s family have settled a civil claim against the company then in charge of Langfield Nursing and Residential Home. The firm, St Andrews GRP Limited, has since gone into administration. It has not admitted any liability for the claims made but settled out of court for an undisclosed sum.
The home is now run by a different care provider and is deemed to be good by the Care Quality Commission in all categories, including safety, effectiveness, care, responsiveness and management.
In the claim against St Andrews GRP Ltd, it was alleged that ‘during (Mr Taylor’s) time at the home, the claimant was abused and neglected.’
It was claimed he was ‘dragged on three occasions,’ ‘improperly handled’ and ‘improperly given a hot drink so that it spilled and scalded him,’ which left him ‘suffering humiliation and psychiatric difficulties’ and experienced ‘pain, blistering to the chest and soft tissue injuries.’
David was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease, which affects the brain and nerves and causes muscle wasting, 21 years ago.
His wife Linda, 74, has cared for her husband of nearly 60 years since he was diagnosed with the devastating condition in the 1990s.
It was the first time David had stayed in a home when he moved to Langfield in 2014, while Linda took a short break to recover after her battle with cancer.
Linda said after the civil case: “I’ve been looking after Dave myself for over 20 years. Even when I was having my cancer treatment and Dave had some respite care I would go to the home he was staying in every day with my chemo strapped around my waist .
“I was trying to get him dressed to go home and he was crying, saying ‘Don’t get me dressed – just take me home.’”
Mr Taylor was represented by Kim Harrison, of Slater and Gordon Lawyers. She said: “They treated an elderly vulnerable man, who had worked all his life, with no dignity or compassion.”
A spokesperson for the home said: “The home was operated by a different care provider when this issue arose. The current provider has worked very hard to ensure that the home is a caring and safe environment for its residents.”
A former director of St Andrews GRP Limited had opportunity to comment but did not respond to the M.E.N.