St Basil’s nursing home faces legal action over alleged neglect of residents
Disturbing new allegations have emerged against St Basil’s aged care, with a staff member reportedly admitting residents were neglected and not given food regularly during the virus outbreak. It comes as families consider mounting a class action.
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Distressed families of St Basil’s residents, allegedly left starving and dehydrated during the nursing home’s coronavirus crisis, may sue over their loved ones’ neglect.
Law firm Arnold Thomas and Becker said it was working with “a number” of families who believe the Fawkner nursing home was negligent and breached its duty of care.
A class action was one possibility, a spokeswoman said.
The family of 85-year-old victim Theodoula Andreou (above) is among those currently exploring legal action.
Family members told the Sunday Herald Sun they had no doubt the vulnerable dementia patient had been severely neglected.
They said they were told by St Basil’s staff that Mrs Andreou was eating, drinking and “doing well” right up until the time she was admitted to hospital “at death’s door”.
The beloved great-grandmother was found to be dehydrated and starving, they claim, and died on July 27, shortly after entering hospital.
A close family member said she had seen St Basil’s staff not wearing masks in the weeks before Mrs Andreou died.
And they had been alarmed by a Facetime call with her on July 25, in which she appeared to be dehydrated and drowsy.
She also appeared to be staying in bed all day, rather than moved to her chair, as was the usual routine.
When the family expressed concern to St Basil’s carers, they were reassured Mrs Andreou’s condition was “generally good”, the family member said.
“We believe that the cause of her death was the negligent treatment including leaving her dehydrated and uncared for,” she said.
“I have also spoken to a staff member who works at St Basil’s … who admitted the residents were neglected and not given food regularly, and some for days, during the coronavirus outbreak.”
Incredibly, the family was billed by the nursing home after Mrs Andreou’s death, for the next month, she said.
But it had never been contacted by St Basil’s to offer an apology, express condolences or even inform them of Mrs Andreou’s death.
Arnold Thomas and Becker lawyer, Maxine Radwan, said the firm would investigate whether St Basil’s was ill-equipped to handle the coronavirus outbreak and failed in its duty to provide appropriate care to residents.
“We will be seeking compensation on behalf of the families of the deceased,” Ms Radwan said.
More than 160 cases of COVID-19 had been linked to the aged care home in Melbourne’s north, she said.
“It’s been such a distressing time for the families and the residents – lives lost that could
have been avoided,” Ms Radwan said.
Mrs Andreou had tested negative for COVID-19 multiple times, with her death certificate listing “dementia” as the cause, her family said.
“But if she had died from dementia she would have showed more advanced symptoms prior to her passing … people with advanced dementia are not able to swallow days prior – we were told she had been eating OK …
“We believe that the cause of her death was the negligent treatment including leaving her dehydrated and uncared for,” the family member said.
She stressed that any legal action was not about money, but to help prevent future deaths and family distress.
A representative for St Basil’s could not be contacted for contact yesterday.
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