Gran left "begging and screaming" for 22 minutes after care home fall
- 10 months ago
A woman has called for cameras to be installed in care homes after her 92-year-old grandmother fell and was left "begging and screaming" for 22 minutes.
The harrowing footage showed Dorothy Selwood falling to the floor as she tried to grab the chair opposite her bed.
She was seen screaming and banging against whatever she could to get the attention of the staff.
The day after the fall Dorothy was in hospital where she caught a chest infection that would result in her death 10 days later.
One year on, Dorothy's granddaughter Samantha Tyson, 45, has started a campaign to get cameras in care homes across the country.
She said: "Every year, thousands of elderly people suffer from neglect and abuse in care homes. My nan was one of them.
"In the last year of her life, she fell from the bed and her calls for help were ignored for 22 minutes.
"It breaks my heart to think that she suffered so much in her final days.
"If we didn’t have cameras we’d not have known how uncaring and uncompassionate the staff were.
"We’d be always wondering if nan's claims of bad staff behaviour were from a confused lady or genuine.
"Now we know and other relatives should be able to have cameras too.
"I believe this will help reduce neglect and bad treatment in care homes.
"It also protects the staff from false claims."
Dorothy's family installed cameras in her room over concerns about the care she was receiving at Blossoms Care Home in Greenhithe, Kent.
The family only reviewed the footage the morning after when she was already in the hospital and were horrified.
Samantha, a beautician, from Dartford, Kent, said: "Nan was classed as a high fall risk and her room was very far from the communal lounge.
"She fell a few times and I told them she would fall again and no one would hear her.
"The night of the video it was dark. She tried to get to the chair. She slipped and fell.
"The fall mat did not alert staff as it was faulty and she lay screaming and banging for 22 minutes.
"Her stick was across the room and her frame nowhere to be seen.
"Finally when two members of staff finally came they shouted and asked her 'Why are you on the floor?'
"Then both walked out without comforting her or asking if she was ok or hurt."
According to Samantha, Dorothy said she was afraid of the night staff which raised concerns for the family and prompted them to install cameras.
She added: "My nan told us they were not treating her well so we put cameras in with the manager's consent and also Nan's consent.
"She felt safer once we installed the camera as we could access it 24/7 and talk to her through it."
Although Dorothy's family have been through a year of trauma and distress, they decided not to pursue legal action or even name the care home publicly.
After posting the video online she found so many terrified relatives thinking this was the care home their loved ones were in so she decided to name them.
The harrowing footage showed Dorothy Selwood falling to the floor as she tried to grab the chair opposite her bed.
She was seen screaming and banging against whatever she could to get the attention of the staff.
The day after the fall Dorothy was in hospital where she caught a chest infection that would result in her death 10 days later.
One year on, Dorothy's granddaughter Samantha Tyson, 45, has started a campaign to get cameras in care homes across the country.
She said: "Every year, thousands of elderly people suffer from neglect and abuse in care homes. My nan was one of them.
"In the last year of her life, she fell from the bed and her calls for help were ignored for 22 minutes.
"It breaks my heart to think that she suffered so much in her final days.
"If we didn’t have cameras we’d not have known how uncaring and uncompassionate the staff were.
"We’d be always wondering if nan's claims of bad staff behaviour were from a confused lady or genuine.
"Now we know and other relatives should be able to have cameras too.
"I believe this will help reduce neglect and bad treatment in care homes.
"It also protects the staff from false claims."
Dorothy's family installed cameras in her room over concerns about the care she was receiving at Blossoms Care Home in Greenhithe, Kent.
The family only reviewed the footage the morning after when she was already in the hospital and were horrified.
Samantha, a beautician, from Dartford, Kent, said: "Nan was classed as a high fall risk and her room was very far from the communal lounge.
"She fell a few times and I told them she would fall again and no one would hear her.
"The night of the video it was dark. She tried to get to the chair. She slipped and fell.
"The fall mat did not alert staff as it was faulty and she lay screaming and banging for 22 minutes.
"Her stick was across the room and her frame nowhere to be seen.
"Finally when two members of staff finally came they shouted and asked her 'Why are you on the floor?'
"Then both walked out without comforting her or asking if she was ok or hurt."
According to Samantha, Dorothy said she was afraid of the night staff which raised concerns for the family and prompted them to install cameras.
She added: "My nan told us they were not treating her well so we put cameras in with the manager's consent and also Nan's consent.
"She felt safer once we installed the camera as we could access it 24/7 and talk to her through it."
Although Dorothy's family have been through a year of trauma and distress, they decided not to pursue legal action or even name the care home publicly.
After posting the video online she found so many terrified relatives thinking this was the care home their loved ones were in so she decided to name them.