Helping Hand patient Anne Gibson’s drowning sparks calls for dedicated memory loss facilities

Many care facilities are inadequate for taking care of dementia patients, warns one of the Oakden whistleblowers. He says the sector needs an overhaul to avoid another death like the drowning of Anne Gibson this week.

Elderly South Australians with memory loss need independent care facilities after a dementia patient wandered from her nursing home and drowned in a backyard pool, an aged care advocate says.

The tragic death of Anne Gibson, 78, has prompted calls for an aged care sector overhaul to help cope with the state’s growing dementia crisis.

Aged care whistleblower Stewart Johnston, whose mother Helen accused Oakden staff of repeated assaults in 2008, said dementia is an “off the charts” problem in all nursing homes.

He said Ms Gibson – who disappeared from Helping Hand’s North Adelaide-based facility on Tuesday night before her body was discovered at a different property on Wednesday morning – had been let down.

“It should never have happened, it’s gross negligence,” he said.

“Whether it’s a lack of staff, lack of training, (or) facilities that can’t cope with advanced dementia, one death is one too many.

“I’m afraid it’s not going to be the last either.”

Dementia patient Anne Gibson who was found drowned in a North Adelaide swimming pool after she went missing from the adjacent Helping Hand aged care home. Picture: SA Police

The Advertiser revealed on Wednesday how a fence opening allowed Ms Gibson access to the backyard and pool of a retired man’s home on Molesworth St.

Police are investigating how Ms Gibson vanished from the secure 32 bedroom Buxton St facility just after 10.30pm on Tuesday. The circumstances surrounding her death are not suspicious.

“Dementia needs acute care and a lot of these facilities need to stop kidding themselves, they can’t provide that level of care,” Mr Johnston said.

“Dementia is off the charts and we need to have that 24-hour, almost one-on-one, care.

“One staff member for six or seven people isn’t good enough.”

SA Best MLC Frank Pangallo said the incident was another reason why cameras are needed in aged care homes.

He said the tragedy could have been have been prevented if staff were able to monitor Ms Gibson’s in-room movements.

Police are reviewing available CCTV footage as they prepare a report for the State Coroner.

Helping Hand chief executive Chris Stewart said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic death of our resident, Ms Anne Gibson”.