A heartbroken family have described the agony of their mum’s final days after a Dundee care home was found to have mistreated her.
Dundee gran Heather Jordan, 77, suffered due to lack of care and support before she passed away in Ballumbie Court care home.
Heather’s daughter, Kerry Whyte, and granddaughter, Brooke Young, who called for the Care Inspectorate investigation, say they remain “devastated” by events leading up to Heather’s death in October.
“I don’t want anyone else’s parents to go through this, that’s why I’m sharing our story and graphic pictures of my mum.
“It is horrific,” Kerry says.
The Care Inspectorate upheld six separate complaints in their investigation at Ballumbie Court, which was carried out last month.
- Open wounds on Heather’s legs were often left untreated
- She became badly dehydrated as access to fluids in the home was limited
- Heather didn’t receive end of life pain relief as prescribed, or good care during this period
- Her personal care was neglected, care inspectors found, leaving her with curled toenails
- The home failed to remove or replace broken furnishings, posing risks to residents
- And they did not appropriately address concerns about staff practice when the family raised these
‘You trust people to look after your family’
“Mum went into Ballumbie Court in September 2021. She had dementia and other health issues so needed care 24/7,” says Kerry, 50.
“You put your parent or family member in and trust they will be looked after.”
Kerry has given her blessing for us to share several graphic images of her Mum in her last months – including an open wound that led to sepsis.
“We questioned things. But you trust these people and build a relationship with them.
“When we raised things they’d say ‘oh sorry, we’ll just do that now’, whatever it was.”
Heather was admitted to hospital last June after wounds on her legs ulcerated and sepsis set in.
Cream applied once in a year
“Mum was so frail that I actually walked past her bed as I didn’t recognise her,” Kerry explains.
“The ulcerated legs and open wounds developed in the home, these weren’t there when she went in.
“She had complained it was itching badly.”
Brooke, 22, continues: “Gran was supposed to be getting cream on her legs multiple times a day.
“But now we know in a year there’s only one record of her getting it.”
A nurse at Ninewells discovered Heather was badly dehydrated and said Kerry should raise this with the home.
‘Residents got a drink at 11.30am’
Kerry adds: “Mum’s tongue and mouth were all dry and cracked inside. I was always taking up juice to her.
“The report says fluids weren’t easily accessible and residents got a drink at 11.30am from the tea trolley – after having been in bed all night.”
Brooke, 22, continues: “They kept putting off getting the chiropodist.
“We said we’d pay for it to be done. But it wasn’t until we said we’d need to report the issue that they got someone in to do them.”
Heather’s health deteriorated and in September Kerry met the palliative care team to discuss end of life care.
Medication not given to ease end of life
“I was hysterical but they assured me they’d make mum comfortable,” Kerry says.
“She had a pack including morphine and midazolam that would be given to relax her at end, I was told.
“I took Brooke and my other daughter, Brodie, up to the home as I knew it would be the last time and they could say their goodbyes.
“But for her last 10 days it was awful, there was something every day.
“Mum was not comfortable. I found her in bed in her own excrement.
“Another day she was left hanging out of an armchair and we had to ask for her to be put in bed – a dying woman!
End of care plan not followed
“Mum was unable to eat solid food, but I came across a young nurse about to feed her a sandwich, which would have choked her. She was a lovely girl but had obviously had no communication about this.”
Kerry’s memories of the final day of her mum’s life are agonising.
“She was very distressed, clawing her covers and in pain. My partner, Kevin, went and begged for help,” says Kerry.
‘Issues with staff attitude’
“We were told ‘she’s not at the morphine stage yet’. But Mum was actually hours from death. They assured me they’d give her something but she died at 8.50pm.”
Brooke adds: “The palliative care team had given the home a plan to give her morphine to keep her comfortable at the end. It wasn’t followed.”
A senior member of staff at the home also spoke rudely and insensitively to the family after Heather’s death, Kerry says.
The Care Inspectorate’s report agreed these concerns were valid and said an improvement plan is required to address ‘known issues with staff practice and attitude’.
“We think the home should be shut or get new management or owners,” Kerry says.
We offer our heartfelt condolences to Mrs Jordan’s family and loved ones.”
Ballumbie Court spokesperson
“Some of the carers were amazing and there for the right reasons but it was like some couldn’t be bothered because mum was dying.”
“The hardest part for us is that we put mum there, trusting they’d care for her. For us as a family it’s so hard – every day we still think about it.”
Response from Ballumbie Court
A spokesperson for Ballumbie Court said: “First and foremost, we offer our heartfelt condolences to Mrs Jordan’s family and loved ones.
“The health, safety and wellbeing of our residents are our highest priorities, and we are deeply sorry that on this occasion several areas of Mrs Jordan’s care fell short of the standards which we usually deliver, and which Mrs Jordan and her family rightfully deserved and expected.
“We take all feedback from our residents and their loved ones very seriously, and as such carried out a full investigation once we became aware of the concerns raised by Mrs Jordan’s family.”
They added: “We co-operated fully with the investigation and have acted on the findings of both our internal investigation and the report produced by the Care Inspectorate.
“We have implemented a comprehensive action plan at the home to resolve these matters, and we are working closely with the home team and Care Inspectorate to make improvements where necessary to support our colleagues to provide the best care possible for all the residents in our home.”
A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate said: “We have shared our preliminary findings with the complainant and the care service.
“We are now conducting a final review of our findings, we will not comment further at this stage.”
- Anyone with a concern about a care service can contact the Care Inspectorate on 0345 600 9527.
