STAFF SHORTAGES BLAMED FOR SPINE DEEP BEDSORE THAT 'ALMOST KILLED' ERIC AT EDENFIELD...
0Staff shortages blamed for spine deep bedsore that 'almost killed' Eric at Edenfield Family Care aged care home in Port Augusta
7.30 / Charlotte King and Andy Burns. ABC Regional Investigations A little over a week after entering his Port Augusta aged care home in August 2021. Eric Wise was found unresponsive. Warning: This story contains images and descriptions that may be upsetting for some readers. The retired labourer. who lives for his wife and family. was diagnosed with a rare neurological condition before he entered the home and requires around the clock care. 'He was deteriorating rapidly. he was just wheezing and he could barely speak.' his daughter Trish Wise said. Ms Wise said it was only after his family demanded an ambulance that Mr Wise was taken to the emergency room at the Port Augusta hospital. She said the family was told he was 'severely dehydrated' and had a urinary tract infection. After a period of treatment. he returned to the provider. which was the only care option available within an hour of their home. 'Mum and I were incredibly anxious about him re entering the facility. knowing that that had occurred.' Ms Wise said. At the time. Eric had a patch of delicate skin on his bottom that was healing. 'Every two hours. it's required that he needs to be rotated from one side to the other. to alleviate the pressure.' Ms Wise said. 'But it was clear that they didn't have enough staff to fulfil that need. '[Mum] would ask how the wound was going. and was always told it was getting better.' Over the next seven and a half weeks. the bedsore developed into a gaping hole. where dead flesh had been eaten away. '[It] was inexcusable.' Ms Wise said. 'Mum even said it [had] a terrible smell. In seven and a half weeks. how could his body get that bad?' The cavity went so deep that his spine was showing through the wound. 'It almost killed him.' Ms Wise said. Home fails every aged care standard The Port Augusta facility is operated by Edenfield Family Care. a for profit provider which runs two nursing homes. known as Ramsay and Nerrilda. in the regional South Australian city. Aside from a dedicated Aboriginal nursing home. they are the only aged care options for the town's residents. Both facilities failed the majority of aged care standards after unannounced site visits from the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission in 2021. The Ramsay facility. where Mr Wise lived. failed on all eight measures. 'The service does not have [a] framework to prevent abuse and neglect.' the audit report found. 'Clinical staff did not have sufficient skills and knowledge' to 'manage pressure injuries'. to 'identify. monitor and manage clinical deterioration'. or 'to effectively perform their roles'. The audit found residents with dementia had been locked in and out of their rooms to prevent wandering. and that 'clinical and care staff did not identify this action as a form of abuse'. Others had been chemically restrained without identified reasons as to why psychotropic medication was used. Staff told the commission there were not enough workers to carry out basic care. including serving meals or taking residents to the toilet. Pads 'a terrible cost to the home' Cheryl Dawson's mother Jean entered the facility several years ago after a fall at home. Ms Dawson said her mother quickly became dependent on the staff. 'When you ring your bell and you have to wait 10 to 15 minutes before it's even answered to be taken to the toilet.' Ms Dawson said. 'over time. you become incontinent yourself.' 'And you're just told. you've got pads on. you just have to go to the toilet in those pads.' She says her family started buying incontinence pads for their mother. after a comment from staff. 'The staff member just said. 'You're using a lot of incontinence pads here. you might have to start buying them yourself because it's a terrible cost to the home.'' Ms Dawson said. 'My mother. the next day. she was shaking all over and quite distraught and depressed and crying and that's when she told me she'd rather be out with my dad...
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