Investigators are looking into conditions in a Palmerston North rest home where a 103-year-old woman was allegedly tied to her bed with a squalid sheet amid claims from her family her privacy has been breached and the home unfairly targeted.
MidCentral District Health Board (DHB) yesterday terminated its contract with the Rose A Lea Rest home after sending in an emergency inspection team last week.
The investigation was sparked by a whistleblower, who saw photos of Myra Letts tied to her bed.
Mrs Letts died on Monday last week from problems believed to be unrelated to her treatment. The inspection team found problems with how it handled infection control, duty of care, health and safety, and medication for its elderly clients.
The home is owned and operated by Joyce and Bryan Wenmoth.
Mr Wenmoth would not comment yesterday: "I think we need to be given some time to ourselves. I don't think it's a matter for the media," he told The Dominion Post.
His lawyer, Bruce Stewart, would not comment either.
Another Palmerston North rest home owned by the Wenmoths, Rimu Lodge, is also facing an inquiry.
Mrs Letts' family is upset her privacy has been breached after the photos were published in newspapers and broadcast on television news.
Rose A Lea was contracted by the health board to provide 25 rest home beds. The 13 residents had been moved out.
The inspection was spurred by a complaint from 21-year veteran of the aged care industry Julie Ireland.
Ms Ireland was given cellphone photos of conditions at the home by someone who worked there. They showed the elderly woman tied to her bed with a sheet and bedsores on the woman's knee.
Ms Ireland said unqualified staff were left to administer morphine and give insulin injections. Toilets and bathrooms were only cleaned once a week and faeces-soiled clothes were poorly washed.
Health board spokesman Mike Grant said concern over residents' safety saw Rose A Lea closed immediately.
There were also serious concerns about hygiene at the home, which would have "taken days to clean", he said.
However, Mrs Letts' daughter Bev Stone told Radio New Zealand the home was "wonderful" and she was more upset her mother's privacy had been breached.
She said the home was unfairly targeted and she was angry that the whistleblower could expose the family to the spotlight.
"It appals me that anyone can make a complaint without consulting the family first. We only buried mum on Friday.
"I don't think anybody's got a right to do that."
The family could not see anything wrong with the home's hygiene, her mother was kept clean and the rooms smelled fine.
Mrs Stone said the rest home staff "went the extra mile" and her mother's leg was simply tied to keep it a bit straighter.
Mrs Stone's son Stuart, who had earlier worked at Rose A Lea for about two years, also had no problems with the care.
He said the home's owner, Mrs Wenmoth, a registered nurse, was trying to do the right thing but had not tied the leg properly.
All staff were properly qualified to work in the home and when he worked there there were protocols about restraining patients.
He said a cleaner came in every day to vacuum and clean the toilets.
The Wenmoths had apologised for the way Mrs Letts was tied and the family did not hold any grudge against her, Mr Stone said.
The family were speaking to lawyer about what legal action they might be able to take over the media exposure.
Meanwhile, Martin Taylor, chief executive of the Aged Care Association, questioned whether the DHB acted too fast and too heavy handed.
There needed to be an independent inquiry into the home and also the DHB's reaction, he said.
The MidCentral DHB tended to take a heavy-handed approach with rest homes, he said.
Fifteen residents, who were expecting to spend Christmas with their regular care givers, were now spread far and wide in different rest homes and Mr Taylor said he was not 100 percent sure closing the home was in the best interests of those residents.
Mr Taylor said the publication of the photo undermined the family's dignity
"I would be very interested to know how that photo got to the media."
The draft audit findings are due back in 10 working days.
