The first year was great, they made the meals on site and there were 40 beds, no dementia. The second year the facility was like living in a construction zone for the whole 12 months. It was extremely noisy and dangerous. The food was then imported and reheated, nothing cooked on site anymore. After that another 40 rooms had been added and dementia patients admitted. Due to disruption to the roof etc there was a major outbreak of insect activity and infestation of biting insects. This went on for 12 months and was essentially denied, despite visitors also being affected and photographic evidence. Antihistamines were dished out but some residents, including my Dad were badly affected and suffered considerably. The fourth year Dad got pressure sores leaving open, gaping wounds/holes in his heels. They were infected by an antibiotic resistant bacteria and he was unable to walk. The home was always understaffed and the workers underpaid. They would forget to feed him because he couldn’t attend the dining room and would also not get medication. I have no idea how that was even possible. In July 2021 l wasn’t permitted to visit due to COVID. During this week they then phoned me to tell me to come in. Dad was unconscious, l slept on his floor while he made an ungodly wailing. I obviously couldn’t sleep and no staff entered that room until I badgered them repeatedly to give him pain relief. The RN told me he could have morphine regularly. I stayed all the next day and he was scrunched up into a ball. I tried to hold his hand and couldn’t budge it. This was obviously a pain situation so l asked the RN for morphine and she didn’t want to give it to him. Dad had a suprapubic catheter and every time it was changed he would get an infection and go a bit strange. They did not pick up on this, so basically he died in terrible pain because he was not given antibiotics. His organs broke down and ended up in his urine bag. You could smell it through the plastic. I asked one of the staff to change it because his granddaughter was coming to say goodbye, she wouldn’t touch it. I’ve never been more horrified or devastated in my life. The doctor was supposed to visit every Thursday but on the Friday night my Dad died the doctor hadn’t seen him for at least 8 days. I wouldn’t put my worst enemy in there and have made my own end of life plan. If an aged care facility doesn’t know how to handle or deal with people dying we’re all doomed.
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