Care home bite victim died of blood poisoning

ACORN Lodge residential home

A 93-year-old man died from blood poisoning and infection after being bitten and assaulted by a fellow Failsworth care home resident, an inquest has heard.

Frederick Adams was hit, and bitten on the thumb and nose by 73-year-old Alfred Baker at Acorn Lodge Care Home.

Mr Adams, who had lived at the home on Guido Street for 18 months, was found lying on the floor by a care assistant on the morning of October 22, 2013. He was taken to the Royal Oldham Hospital for treatment to minor injuries and went home later that day.

But after a few days an infection developed in his hand and rapidly spread up his arm, leading the home to return him to hospital on October 29. Great-grandfather Mr Adams slowly deteriorated and the decision was taken by his family to cease treatment. He died on November 8, 2013.

A post mortem found Mr Adams had died of multiple organ failure caused by blood poisoning following the injury to his left hand. Pathologist Dr Naomi Carter said his heart disease, diabetes and high blood pressure were contributing factors.

Mr Adams was assaulted by Mr Baker, a dementia patient who had arrived at the home only two weeks before the incident.

After the assault paramedics were called for both Mr Adams and Mr Baker, who was found alone in another room by care home manager Joanne Ashcroft. Both men were taken to hospital.

There were contradictions in the evidence heard from Ms Ashcroft, who has since left the company, and Joanne Whalen, the residential unit manager at the home.

Both argued they were unaware of Mr Baker’s history of violence, though this was documented in the report from his previous home, and said they wouldn’t have put him in the residential unit if they had known he needed extra care.

Mrs Whalen had visited Mr Baker at his original home and said she didn’t see documents relating to violence or aggression, though admitted one of the home’s assistants had related a recent incident in which he had intimidated one of the workers and another resident..

The decision taken by Ms Ashcroft was to admit Mr Baker and check on him every 15 minutes. The inquest heard Mr Baker had thrown a cup of water and had been aggressive within a day of arriving.

Mrs Whalen argued she and other care workers had reported other incidents to Ms Ashcroft and his social worker and no action had been taken. Ms Ashcroft said she only became aware of any violent incidents at Acorn Lodge before the biting incident, when he threw a cup of coffee at a fellow resident.

Ms Ashcroft said: “I didn’t believe he was suitable to stay in the residential area of the home at that time and needed more specialised care. I was told it was a settling-in problem and he would be better over time.”

She reported the biting to a safeguarding team and was made aware of Mr Baker’s history.

She said: “When they told me about his history I was shocked. I couldn’t believe someone had been placed with us without us having all the information.”

The inquest continues.


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