Steve Grady set out to visit his 90-year-old mother Norma Grady at her aged care home in Taigum on January 31, when he witnessed her body being loaded into a van by local police.
He was notified of her death later that day.
Sadly, Ms Grady’s death came as a complete shock to her son who had no forewarning of his mother’s rapidly deteriorating health.
“I didn’t believe it. I spoke to her at 7 o’clock that night,” Ms Grady’s daughter Sharon Wilson told 9News.
“It was like sliding doors, mum had just passed my brother and he didn’t know it was mum.
“My legs were like jelly, I just couldn’t believe it.”
They have also raised questions about the circumstances surrounding their mother’s death, citing conflicting details within reports.
According to 9News, a leaked report that was written by a nurse on duty at the time of Norma Grady’s death says that she was found unresponsive on the floor and then confirmed dead by a registered nurse at 4.52am.
However, an official report says that a nurse took the 90-year-old to the toilet at 4.41am and then left the room at 4.44am.
“Three minutes, which is just ridiculous. You cannot toilet a 90-year-old [in three minutes],” said Ms Wilson.
“We were told she was sitting on the chair where she passed,” said Mr Grady.
“Then we hear that she was laying on the ground and had a pillow under her head.”
“They said she was blue … so in three minutes she’s gone blue.”
The nurse in charge of investigating the complaint made by Ms Grady’s children has resigned in recent weeks, but a spokesperson for Arcare told HelloCare that the nurse ‘resigned from her position for personal reasons.’
The spokesperson also said that they are ‘unaware of any contradictions’ in regards to the version of events that were provided to Ms Grady’s family and that “Arcare was instructed by the police to leave the passing of the sad news to the police.”
The incident has been investigated by The Aged Care Quality Commission who found (had) had no recommendations.
How disgusting is this for the persons poor family.
Conflicting reports I hope the family take this further and a thorough investigation is carried out.
My mother was also in the Arcare facility at Taigum. Then when the first lockdown occurred in 2020, I couldn’t visit her for about 12 weeks. I rang her every day, and she kept saying she didn’t feel well. I asked the nurses to get a doctor to come, but he wouldn’t come, he just did a FaceTime app. And I heard the nurses saying to her , ‘Oh you are fine Margaret ‘. But she wasn’t, when I was able to go and see her I g out a doctor to come and he sent her straight to a specialist, who then said she was too sick for him to treat and sent her to the hospital across the road. She passed away 5 days later. In my mind that is neglect.
This confirms my thoughts on Arcare at Taigum!!! 😡😡 the care is non existence. First hand experience with my Aunty in this place. Management is very poor.care manager should not be in that position. Nurses and care staff need an overhaul. No one seems to be accountable..
Should be closed down and a$100,000 fine for abuse.
It will be the only way that this total Ignorance may be remedied.
Or vote for Scomo and it will continue Forever!!