Elderly woman allegedly assaulted by another and left outside in winter at Bupa Seaforth
POLICE have been notified of multiple alleged assaults on elderly residents at a scandal-plagued beachside aged care home in NSW. The Daily Telegraph can reveal police investigated two incidents, one just two weeks ago, at Bupa Seaforth where an elderly resident was alleged to have assaulted another.
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POLICE have been notified of multiple alleged assaults on elderly residents at a scandal-plagued beachside aged care home in NSW.
The Daily Telegraph can reveal police investigated two incidents, one just two weeks ago, at Bupa Seaforth where an elderly resident was alleged to have assaulted another.
And it comes as Prime Minister Scott Morrison warned the country to brace itself for difficult stories as he announced keeping senior Australians safe will be at the heart of the government’s royal commission into aged care.
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Mary Andrews told The Daily Telegraph her mother Georgia Tzintzions, 80, was often found covered in bruises at the northern beaches aged care home and she was visibly frightened when men entered her room.
She said her mother was also left on a balcony in the middle of winter, was regularly not given her medication and her clothes kept going missing.
“My mother was such a glamorous woman but since she has been there (since February) she has deteriorated so much as she is not being properly cared for,” Ms Andrews said.
The exclusive Seaforth facility has been mired in scandal since one of its workers — Prakash Paudyal — was charged last month for allegedly beating 82-year-old resident David Nabulsi with a shoe.
Bupa Seaforth was slapped with sanctions last month for failing to meet more than 30 of 44 basic care standards despite having passed with full marks just a year ago.
A Bupa spokeswoman said police investigated two incidents — one in June and one last month — but later advised they would not be taking the matters further.
“Bupa has been working with the residents involved, and their families, to help ensure similar incidents don’t occur again,” she said.
The Daily Telegraph understands police find it difficult to pursue cases of alleged patient on patient assaults, particularly involving people with Alzheimer’s and dementia, because of the victim and perpetrator’s mental capacity.
Meanwhile the Prime Minister yesterday appointed Justice Joseph McGrath and former Medicare Australia chief executive Lynelle Briggs to head the government’s royal commission.
“We need to establish a national culture of respect for senior Australians and Australians as they age,” Mr Morrison said. “It is that culture of respect that actually ensures that people are treated with dignity.”