Aged care worker charged for assault of elderly nursing home resident
THE daughter of an elderly dementia patient has revealed she resorted to installing a secret video camera at his North Shore nursing home because of a “gut feeling” her dad was not being cared for properly – and it only took one day for the first alleged assault to occur. Aged care nurse Prakash Paudyal has been charged. WARNING GRAPHIC VIDEO.
NSW
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THE daughter of an elderly dementia patient has revealed she resorted to installing a secret video camera at his North Shore nursing home because of a “gut feeling” her dad was not being cared for properly – and it only took one day for the first alleged assault to occur.
Police have charged 35-year-old aged care nurse Prakash Paudyal with common assault after Ayda Celine filmed her father David Nabulsi, 82, over three days .
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Ms Celine said she suspected something was wrong with her dad because his mood changed and he would flinch whenever she went to touch him during visits at Bupa Aged Care Seaforth.
“I had a gut feeling. There were unexplained falls, his moods had changed and he didn’t want to get out of his bed,” she told The Daily Telegraph.
She installed the camera and was horrified by what she saw between August 26 and 29.
Mr Nabulsi, who worked as a businessman his whole life, is allegedly seen trying to shield himself by his bed before Paudyal tries to grab him.
The vision, released by police, shows another occasion where the Paudyal allegedly pulls hard at the Mr Nabulsi’s t-shirt as he sits on the bed.
The pair then appear to be having a conversation before the Paudyal allegedly rushes at Nabulsi and whacks him repeatedly over the head with a shoe before pulling the elderly man’s shirt off over his head.
“I was mortified, I was in hysterics, I was rushing to get my keys and go to Manly police station,” Ms Celine said.
Police charged the 35-year-old aged care nurse after he was led away in handcuffs yesterday from his Wheeler Heights address wearing a blue shirt.
He was granted police bail and will appear at Manly Local Court on Tuesday.
He is facing two counts of common assault and use offensive weapon with the intent to commit an indictable offence.
Ms Celine said she would install a secret camera “all over again”.
“My dad is my everything, he has always been my everything. They are your dad, they look after us,” she said.
“He is a true Australian who worked his whole life and then for this to happen to him while he is so vulnerable.”
She called for the whole system to be changed and overhauled.
“People in detention centres and jails get more care and notice than our aged care system,” she said.
A Bupa spokesman this morning issued a statement in the wake of the charges.
“Bupa takes the safety and wellbeing of its residents seriously and we are shocked and saddened by what has occurred at our Seaforth care home,” he said.
“The employee in question has been dismissed, and we are cooperating fully with NSW Police.
“As this is a police matter, we cannot provide further comment at this time.
“Bupa is committed to providing a safe and supportive environment for our residents.
Our focus at this time is on supporting Bupa Seaforth residents, their families and staff.”
Northern Beaches Police Area Command Superintendent David Darcy said elder abuse could take various forms.
“These vulnerable people need the communities help to be their voice,” he said.
