During my grandmother's time living at St Ann's, there were numerous instances when my family was let down by subpar treatment and organisation surrounding her needs. However, it was her last few days at the facility which I would like to share as an example of the standard of care one can expect for elderly relatives at this facility. At the end of 2021, my grandmother was transferred from St Ann's to hospital due to symptoms of advanced dementia. It was clear that she was close to passing away, but due to issues with capacity the hospital requested for her to be cared for at St Ann's instead of the palliative care ward. St Ann's assured the hospital that adequate care would be available, including a bed with railings and constant supervision. After the decision to transfer was made, we were told that St Ann's did not have an available bed with railings, and understaffing meant that it was impossible for staff to continuously monitor her condition. At this stage my grandmother was still able to communicate, and as soon as the transport vehicle pulled into the drop-off area at St Ann's, her previously cheerful and almost normal speech was replaced by terror, which triggered a frantic and delusional state. She was escorted to her room where my mother and aunt attempted to calm her down. Eventually she fell asleep, and my mother and aunt took the opportunity to go home and rest. The next morning, my mother was informed that my grandmother had fallen out of bed and was once again in the hospital. Miraculously my grandmother had not sustained any serious injuries from the fall, but the stress of the ordeal had significantly worsened her psychological state and advanced her symptoms of dementia. From then on, her ability to communicate deteriorated, and her condition worsened until she eventually passed away a few weeks later. Throughout her time in the hospital, we received one call from St Ann's, who did not bother to ask how my grandmother was doing but instead wanted to know whether they could give her room to someone else. The final time my family and I visited St Ann's was to collect my grandmother's belongings from her room. When we arrived, no one asked us about my grandmother, no one offered condolences and no one offered to help us move the items to the car. Even as I sat outside the room sobbing, unable to cope with the grief that being back in that room instilled in me, the staff walked past us as if we weren't even there. St Ann's played a significant factor in the trauma that my family and I carry from the already horrible experience of losing a loved one, and the lack of compassion, transparency and honesty of those in charge of the facility resulting in the fall may well have cost my family a few more days or weeks with my grandmother. For the sake of your loved ones, do not trust St Ann's with the safety and wellbeing of your elderly relatives. If you already have relatives at the facility, check on them regularly, ask them if their needs are being met, and check that all claims made by the staff surrounding your loved one are accurate. The last thing I want is for another family to go through a similar ordeal to that of my own.
