Dementia Care Failures at Elmswood Aged Care Centre in Tauranga

In a shocking report, the Aged Care Commissioner has found that multiple staff members at the Elmswood Care Centre in Tauranga provided sub-standard care to a woman with dementia in the weeks leading up to her death. The report highlights significant breaches of the woman’s rights and systemic issues within the centre.

The Elmswood Care Centre is owned by Oceania Healthcare, which specializes in providing high-quality dementia care for its residents. However, in this case, the centre failed to meet even the most basic standards of care, leading to a decline in the woman’s health and ultimately her death.

Key Findings:

• The woman suffered a forearm fracture and multiple unwitnessed falls, which were not properly documented, assessed, or followed up with care plans.
• Her family was not informed of the forearm fracture immediately, despite the centre’s responsibility to keep them updated on their loved one’s condition.
• There were significant symptoms as the woman’s condition deteriorated, but there wasn’t timely or appropriate medical intervention.
• The woman’s condition worsened and she was taken to hospital, where she was diagnosed with septic shock and cellulitis.
• She died 10 days later.

Systemic Issues:

• Commissioner Carolyn Cooper stated that Elmswood had a responsibility to operate the dementia unit in a manner that provided its residents with services of an appropriate standard.
• The centre’s overall deficiencies in care demonstrate a pattern of suboptimal care and a lack of critical thinking from staff members.
• A registered nurse was found in breach of the woman’s rights, failing to carry out necessary observations or administer medication as required.

Recommendations:

• Writing an apology to the woman’s family for the sub-standard care provided by the centre.
• Reviewing its processes for resident admissions to dementia-level care to prevent similar incidents in the future.
• Staff at the centre would undertake training for their communication with older people and their families.

Response from Oceania Healthcare:

Oceania Healthcare acknowledged the findings and took immediate action to address the issues identified. The company made significant changes, including reviewing its quality control processes and providing additional training to staff members.

A Statement from Oceania Healthcare:

“We take full responsibility for the sub-standard care provided by our staff at Elmswood Care Centre. We acknowledge that our centre failed to meet even the most basic standards of care, leading to a decline in the woman’s health and ultimately her death. We are committed to making significant changes to prevent such incidents from happening again in the future.”

Conclusion:

The report highlights the importance of providing high-quality dementia care for older adults. It also emphasizes the need for aged care centres to prioritize resident safety and well-being, as well as staff training and quality control measures.

Aged Care Commission’s Response:

Commissioner Carolyn Cooper acknowledged the family’s distress and offered her condolences for their loss. The commission emphasized its commitment to ensuring that all aged care centres provide safe and high-quality care for their residents.

The Elmswood Care Centre case serves as a reminder of the importance of holding aged care providers accountable for their actions. It also highlights the need for continuous improvement and quality control measures within these facilities.

In light of this report, it is essential for families to research and carefully select an aged care centre that prioritizes resident safety and well-being. It is also crucial for centres to prioritize staff training and quality control measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

We hope that this case will serve as a catalyst for change within the aged care sector, leading to improved outcomes for older adults and their families.