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Rest home shut down after 105yo woman tied to bed

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The Rose A Lea rest home has been closed down and the woman has since died (photo: The Manawatu Standard)

The Rose A Lea rest home has been closed down and the woman has since died (photo: The Manawatu Standard)

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Tue, 17 Nov 2009 6:03p.m.
By Dan Parker

A Palmerston North rest home has been closed by authorities after an elderly woman resident was found tied to a bed.

MidCentral District Health board inspectors were called to the Rose A Lea rest home last Friday after a cellphone photo of the 105-year-old woman was sent to them by a whistle-blower. A sheet had been tied to the woman’s leg and she was suffering from bedsores.

A temporary manager and a nurse were immediately put in charge and the home’s contract with the DHB was cancelled just an hour ago.

Security guards are now on site and there is no sign of operators Brian and Joyce Wenmoth.

The woman has since died. Her funeral was last Friday – the same day MidCentral Health was alerted to the photo.
 
There is no suggestion her death is in any way linked to her treatment.

Following the termination of the health board’s contract with the home, inspectors also found other breaches of standards and regulations.

The incident shares some similarities with a case at Epson’s Bellhaven Rest Home last year, where a resident had her mouth taped shut. A rest home worker was convicted of assault.

Police have received no complaint about the Rose A Lea victims treatment, and the family of the now deceased do not wish to comment.

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Comments [14]

sam
19 Nov 2009 10:02p.m.

Bella, how come it automatically becomes about race. I certainly don’t judge all Maori people as criminals just because of the higher than normal proportion of Maori people in prison so please do not judge all white people because of the actions of a few. In future have a good think before you post your racist opinionated and backwards views because it only results in two things happening, the first is that it breads hate which is counter –productive, and second it makes me pity you for your ignorant and blatant stupidity

annoyed
19 Nov 2009 10:00p.m.

I think you have no idea what your talking about Bella i am a nurse and guess what most of the child abuse cases i have seen are from within Maori families. So don't take the moral high ground. The racism that you are showing right now is holding our country back from being unified. As a health professional those types of restraint are barbaric and should not be used without proper supervision, however this is where the problems lie. There is simply not enough money put into maintaing the health and wellbeing of our elders, or for that matter money to train carers and to pay them a decent wage as this sort of work is strenuous and offen unrewarding.

Lydia
18 Nov 2009 1:00p.m.

Everyone is entitled to express an opinion, no matter how naive or seemingly diabolical. The situation is sad to see and there could be a variety of reasons as to why, I personally would not like that to be me or any of my whanau and rest homes are great facilities and cater for a need similar to day care for children. Some good, some not.

Wake up
17 Nov 2009 9:55p.m.

I hope you don't look after your elders like some of you look after your young Bella ???

Andrew
17 Nov 2009 9:48p.m.

The expectation that those in advanced old age will be looked after by the family is by no means confined to Maori. It is a very traditional practice still common in pakeha culture only a few decades ago. But pakeha have moved on. Families are smaller now and people are living longer. Pakeha have gradually come to terms with the reality that care for the aged is a specialist, full-time function.

dale
17 Nov 2009 9:22p.m.

there we go again another racist proud maori. you want to talk about cruel look at the stats with young maori children being a abused and murdered. get off your high horse Bella

Katrina
17 Nov 2009 9:13p.m.

In the know, I agree, she might have been restrained because she flung her arms and legs around causing skin tears etc and this was required for her welbeing. However if this is the case I thought restraints were supposed to be recored and approved for use on the person, if they were then this would have protected the resthome from this scenario.An enquiry will uncover the facts hopefully.

kiel
17 Nov 2009 8:58p.m.

Good on you bella, put your people back another 5 years with stupid remarks like that. Mind you we do have to remember that Maori don;t make it to 103, again Pakeha's problem. Plus they would be in a way flasher rest home, as preferential treatment by the goverment must also be a maori-based respect? or is it just expected?

M
17 Nov 2009 8:38p.m.

I think Bella is trying to say that Maori don't often put their elders in rest homes they look after them at home. Most Maori I know would never treat the elderly like this there is that element of respect for your elders. I am Maori and other Maori I know would not dare to treat a kaumauta in this way or look out.

In_the_know.
17 Nov 2009 8:13p.m.

this is a great beat up by the media and a stupid and callous DHB. Firstly, the lady couldn't move anyway and the tying of her leg caused her no discomfort. In fact, it eased her discomfort. (Let's not let people with broken legs have their legs hoisted unmoving up in the air. They are being restrained!) Secondly, the "other breaches of standards and regulations" ranged from a women who, because she had a tray on her lap, was allegedly "restrained", and an elderly gentleman who wanted to walk but had difficulty doing so, was supposed to be forced to be taken everywhere by staff in a wheelchair. So much for freedom and restraint.
The DHB are very caring, I'm sure. They forcibly shifted the residents out of the home against their will without even allowing the residents to say goodbye to the many loving people who had been their caregivers for many years. Of course, moving them forcibly isn't restraint.
Any baby boomer reading this had better beware. By the time you get into a rest home, they will be staffed by uncaring, poorly paid, unintelligent morons. Because those are the only people who will be able to carry out the "rules" without any compunction or conscience.

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