A demented elderly person in Gothenburg refused help from new home care staff. Due to a lack of knowledge about the disease, the elderly person was left without support, which led to life-threatening injuries, reports Göteborgs-Posten.
The home care staff discovered in May that the elderly person had taken in too little food, according to the notification to the Inspectorate for Care and Care (Ivo).
During a reorganization, regular staff were less present, despite information from relatives about the elderly person’s desire to avoid new staff.
Staff who visited the person did not have sufficient knowledge of the illness and left when the elderly person refused to be helped.
It led to life-threatening health problems, including malnutrition, dehydration and kidney failure.
“It was uncertain whether the care recipient would survive,” says the lex Sarah report to Ivo.
A combination of different circumstances has led to a lapse in communication, according to operations manager Helena Skärby.
– It is unfortunate that this has happened. If you look at the sequence of events, you have acted correctly once you realized the seriousness. I think the employees have followed the routines we have.
To prevent similar situations, the business has implemented several measures. Among other things, the staff has been given more time to read through home care residents’ action plans and has been trained in how to motivate people with dementia to eat.