No-show carers leave woman, 90, helpless

Published on Thursday 13 March 2008 09:40

AN investigation is under way after a frail, 90-year-old woman was left without food and medication when her carers failed to turn up.

Diabetic Chrissie Elsmore, who has two artificial knees, was left to fend for herself the day after her carer found her lying on the floor following a fall in her home.

An incident report was filed, but a decision was made to cancel her care provision the next day.

Instead of contacting Mrs Elsmore's family, care bosses phoned the elderly woman directly to ask if she could cope on her own that day.

Mrs Elsmore said she could and her granddaughter Christine Kelly is furious that her family was not contacted, as the elderly woman has problems with her short-term memory and isn't aware of everything going on around her.

Mrs Kelly, 47, said: "She said she could cope, but by the time they would have got to the end of the question she would have forgotten what they were asking, and being helpful she would have said 'yes'.

"No other contact was made with either my mother or me to let us know there'd be no care."

Until a year ago, Mrs Elsmore's daughter was her sole carer, but, at nearly 70 years old herself, she had to ask the council for help. The elderly woman, who lives in sheltered housing at The Inch, is supposed to receive help twice a day with food and medication before carers return at night to put her to bed.

But the day after the fall last month, she received no help until her daughter visited at 3pm.

Mrs Kelly said: "When my mother arrived to make her tea, she discovered that there had been no carer that morning.

"This meant my grandmother had no breakfast and no lunch and had missed her tablets.

"She had tried to boil an egg and left the cooker ring on."

When a carer failed to turn up to look after her grandmother again on Sunday, after calling to say they were "running late", Mrs Kelly, who manages Edinburgh University's student accommodation, complained to the council, which is now investigating.

Mrs Kelly has also contacted Edinburgh South MP Nigel Griffiths, who has also complained to the council. A council spokes-woman said the incident was under investigation following a complaint.