Carer's violent assault on dementia patient in Adelaide care facility revealed on hidden camera
The aged care complaints commissioner is reviewing the case of a bedridden 89-year-old man who was abused by his nursing home carer in Adelaide, after hidden camera footage from a care facility was revealed on television.
Video from a secret camera shown on ABC's 7.30 program on Monday appears to show a carer violently force-feeding Clarence Hausler, sneezing on him, pinning his arms down, flicking his nose and holding a large napkin over his face.
The footage was recorded at the Mitcham Residential Care Facility.
Daughter Noleen Hausler installed the hidden camera in her father's room after she became suspicious about her father's bruises in 2015.
"I thought I wasn't being heard and I was suspicious of a certain staff member," Ms Hausler told ABC.
"I thought long and hard about how I could actually get the evidence and the only way I could do that was to put in a video camera and film what was going on."
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She later took the video to police and the carer was convicted of two charges of aggravated assault, the ABC reports.
The hidden camera was only installed for two days when it captured Corey Lyle Lucas ramming a spoon into Mr Hausler's mouth and appearing to try to block his airways as the man tried vainly to resist.
Lucas, 29, Camden Park, was imprisoned for one month of a six month sentence after pleased guilty t two counts of aggravated assault in June. His sentence was suspended pending an 18 month good behaviour bond.
Mitcham Residential Care Facility in Adelaide said it didn't tolerate such behaviour.
"This conduct is not tolerated by our organisation and is completely at odds with the care, dedication and commitment displayed by the over 4500 nurses, carers and other staff across our homes every day," the facility said in a statement to the ABC.
In a statement, Aged Care Services Australia Group said it had acted immediately upon learning of the "rogue" employees actions in September 2015.
"As soon as we became aware of the incident, the individual was immediately suspended and we have assisted with the police investigation which has since led to a conviction," it said.
Ms Hausler lawyer, however, told the ABC that had not been the facility's original response.
"Instead of offering Noleen empathy, they instead sent her a letter to cease and desist from filming, as if she was the problem," Adair Donaldson said.
Ms Hausler said he was prepared to go to prison to reveal the treatment her father had endured.
Ms Hausler said her father had been a patient at the home since 2002 but she had noticed standards drop markedly after its takeover by Japara Healthcare, ABC reports.
South Australian Premier Jay Weatherill said surveillance could be an option to ensure the safety of aged care residents, The Advertiser reports.
“There obviously needs to be the training and monitoring of the way in which people are employed and screened for employment, but I think we do need to give consideration for other technological measures," he said.
The South Australian opposition says it would back moves to introduce surveillance to aged care facilities.
