A recent coroners report has revealed ‘concerning practices’ at a Hobart aged care home for the elderly, formerly known as Freemasons Home Lindisfarne, now called Derwent Views.
Following the passing of 82-year-old resident Peter Joseph Guy, Coroner Simon Cooper strongly criticised the “poor” cooperation he received from the home’s operator at the time, Masonic Care Tasmania.
Mr Guy succumbed to pneumonia after a fall at the care home on 1 April 2022.
The report suggests that important information was withheld by Masonic Care during an investigation into his death.
Cooper revealed that Masonic Care Tasmania only disclosed details about falls occurring three months before April 1 and left out information about a fall that left Mr Guy with a back injury.
“It is apparent that the response was deliberate. Whether it was deliberately misleading is
unclear,” Cooper wrote.
The report also delved into the quality of care received by Mr Guy at the facility and how the home ‘failed to take adequate measures’ to prevent further accidents.
“The evidence indicates that the Freemasons Home do not appear to have used bed alarms or any other sensory or mobility type alarms for Mr Guy, despite repeated falls, clear evidence of wandering and well documented evidence of worsening confusion in the wake of each fall.”
“A bed alarm would not have prevented Mr Guy’s fall on 1 April 2022 but it would have led to a quicker response.”
“Moreover there is no evidence of bed rails being used by the nursing home. Bed rails would almost certainly have prevented the fall.”
Before Mr Guy’s death, an audit found that Freemasons Home in Lindisfarne didn’t meet 7 out of 8 care standards.
“Freemasons Home could not demonstrate that residents receive safe and effective care that was best practice,” Cooper said.
