Rest homeowners Oceania Care Company Limited have been found in breach of the Code of Health and Disability Services Consumers’ Rights (the Code) for failures in its care of a man who died shortly after suffering two falls.
Deputy Health and Disability Commissioner Rose Wall today released a report into the incident.
“The man had a medical history of poor balance, severe fatigue, impaired hearing and end-stage renal failure,” the report reads.
“At the time of events the man had been a resident at the rest home for only five days.
The first fall occurred when a staff member helped the man to the toilet, and left him alone. The second fall occurred when the man fell out of bed and onto the floor when reaching for something on his bedside table.
“The man was later diagnosed with a fractured right ankle, and sadly died a week later.”
The rest home in question, which is not named in the report, was owned and operated by Oceania Care Company Limited at the time of the falls but has since been sold to another company.
Deputy Commissioner Wall found there were serious issues with the care the man received at the rest home.
Wall found the call-bell system was faulty and this wasn’t communicated to staff, nor was a temporary workaround implemented.
She also found there were discrepancies in multiple aspects of staff documentation of the man’s care after his falls.
"In my view, Oceania had the ultimate responsibility to ensure that the man received care that was of an appropriate standard and complied with the Code. Overall, there were serious issues with the care he received at the rest home," Wall said.
As well as a raft of procedural changes, Wall also recommended that Oceania Care Company Limited provide the man’s family with a written apology.
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