NURSING HOME OWNER DISTORT

Nursing home operator says there is no tolerance for abuse.

Devastated.

That is the feeling of the owner of the nursing home that was the scene of a disturbing viral video showing an elderly woman being physically and verbally abused.

An upset Pamela Hill told the media this afternoon that the woman seen hitting an elderly resident in the video has been let go from her employ. The registered nursing auxiliary began working at the Christ Church facility some time in December.

Hill said she has been operating the senior citizens' home for the past 16 years without incident, and she intends to keep a watchful eye over her elderly charges.

“You don’t come into my place and you treat my old people how you feel like – not once I know…. Once I know, I think the onus is on me to do something about it. It not only protects my home; it could be any other old person in any other home setting,” said Hill.

Her establishment has a staff complement of eight and 14 residents between the ages of 63 and 93. The longest resident has been there eight years and the lady seen in the video has been living there for four years.

“We don’t have a fast turnover in patients,” Hill said. 

She said that just like the rest of Barbados, she was appalled when she saw the video and she was further disturbed by the response from the now former employee.

“When I sent her the video of what she did, I said – ‘Disturbing.’ She said, ‘True.’

I sent her back and I said, ‘I am very disappointed in you all.” – I mean the three of them.

She said, “What have we done?”

I said, “How you mean what have you done? Would you like someone to treat you this way? This is considered mistreatment.”

She said, “Sorry. Well, fire me then.”

Hill confirmed that the aide has been dismissed. She however said that the status of the other two employees in the video is pending*, noting that the nurse who filmed the incident played a part in bringing the problem to light. Loop News understands the incident occurred about two weeks ago and was reported to the authorities.

“You cannot be here 24/7 so you have to leave at some point in time and the person does what they have to do. By the time you come inside they wipe they mouth clean and they sitting down real, real pretty like nothing ain’t happen.

So you do not know of the abuse – you do not know! Until somebody like my nurse take it and show you... and when they show you it is so devastating!”

Despite the negativity generated around her business, Hill maintained that she had no choice but to speak up, as it is only by reporting and keeping a record of such incidents that the bad apples can be removed from the system.

However, she admitted that it will be a challenge:

“I don’t know what we’re going to do. They suggest cameras, but if I know a camera is there I am not going to do anything [wrong] under a camera….

You have to have a caring spirit! If you don’t have it, a thousand cameras can’t make you get it!”

Hill, who herself is a nurse of 23 years, said this incident has made her more wary.

“Don’t trust anybody. Always check and back check and double check. And I don’t know how you’re going to do it, but you got to do it.”

To the relatives of the residents, she said,

“For everything that has happened, I am sorry. But I can reassure you that it is not what I stand for or what I believe in. As far as my elderly go within my care, I will continue to do my best and I will continue to advocate on their behalf.”

Moved to tears, she continued, “I will not sit by and let anybody come in here and ill-treat them and I know about it and I don’t do anything about it!”

“In any nursing home, you are always going to have problems, but if you know about it and you hear about it, always be willing to speak up – even though it might hurt.”

Saying that she started the business out of a love for the elderly and not for any material gain, Hill said the management of nursing homes need to work more closely together to ensure that unsuitable people are removed from the system.

“If we are not accountable and for every nurse that comes into the establishment and does what they’re not supposed to do and we don’t report it – we just fire them and let them go, that person will continue in the system until next, next, next… It has to be stopped and stopped now."

Public Relations Officer of the Royal Barbados Police Force, acting Assistant Superintendent of Police, David Welch, confirmed to Loop News that a site visit was made and investigations are continuing into the incident.

*UPDATE: Only the staff member who filmed the incident is still employed at the nursing home.