Epenesa Pahiva: Kensington bleach bath, Castellorizian Aged Care pays
An 87-year-old was left in agony with burns all over her body after carers bathed her in bleach having misunderstood the directions of a dermatologist. Six years after her death her family has received a six-figure payout.
Southern Courier
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The children of an elderly woman who was severely burnt and later died following a botched bleach bath by carers have been awarded a hefty settlement.
Staff at Kensington’s Castellorizian Aged Care misunderstood the directions of a dermatologist when treating 87-year-old Epenesa Pahiva’s skin condition.
Instead of adding a half cup of bleach to a bathtub full of water, nurses used towels soaked in the solution to bathe her three times.
She spent several weeks in hospital and died three weeks after being discharged
Four of Ms Pahiva’s family members, one of whom was a grandchild she raised as one of her own children, were awarded a confidential payout by Castellorizian Aged Care this week.
The amount is believed to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The figure was negotiated out of court following mediation held in February.
The family’s solicitor, Walker Law Group partner Sharron Vogel, declined to comment following the settlement citing confidentiality.
However, speaking to the Wentworth Courier prior to mediation and settlement, Ms Vogel said she hoped to hold the nursing home to account.
“I just want justice for the family, that is my concern,” Ms Vogel said.
“I feel they were mistreated initially when it happened (and) they tried to cover it up.
“It really effected them all (the family) mentally.
“I know she was old, I know she was probably going to die eventually but it came too soon at the hands of the nursing home.”
Mrs Pahiva’s death was the subject of a coronial inquest in September last year which heard the nurses misunderstood the dermatologist’s instructions.
The inquest heard instead of adding a half cup of bleach to a bathtub full of water, nurses used towels soaked in the solution to bathe her three times.
It was only the day after the final treatment that another “shocked” nurse called triple-0 and Mrs Pahiva was rushed to St Vincent’s.
She was then transferred to the burns unit at Concord Hospital for six weeks and died three weeks after being discharged, of what was ultimately said to be natural causes in September 2014.
Coroner Teresa O'Sullivan recommended the nursing home review its training in the aftermath of the tragedy.