The daughter of an elderly woman who she claims was ‘neglected’ at an under-fire care home hit with a string of abuse allegations has pleaded with a health watchdog to shut down the ‘hell hole’ following her death.
Sandra Grochowina has demanded Ashbourne House Nursing Home in Middleton, Rochdale, is closed after her mother Mabel McRonald’s three week stay there last year.
The 84-year-old died six days after leaving the home, which is embroiled in a row over alleged abuse.
Mrs Grochowina has also reported her mother’s death to police, who are investigating.
Ashbourne House made national headlines after the M.E.N. revealed complaints that vulnerable dementia patients had been allegedly tormented by the abuse of ‘therapy’ dolls.
Two women were arrested. One has been charged and the other remains on police bail.
Watch: Sandra Grochowina talks about her mother's care at Ashbourne House
Earlier this month, three whistleblowers approached the MEN with new allegations about the treatment of residents, including elderly people being left ‘sat in their own mess’ and dirty clothes - and medication being destroyed.
Mrs Grochowina, 62, spoke out after her mother’s death sparked a multi-agency investigation.
In March, a safeguarding conference was held at Rochdale council, with police, the Care Quality Commission (CQC), Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group (HMR CCG) and other bodies to discuss Ms McRonald’s care at Ashbourne House.
It was held behind closed doors, with details kept under wraps, but Mrs Grochowina approached the M.E.N. following our latest investigation, saying she ‘couldn’t keep quiet any longer’.
Widow Ms McRonald lived there for three weeks, moving in in July last year after being found unconscious at her family’s home in Milnrow.
Needing 24-hour care, Ms McRonald’s loved ones had no choice but to put her in a home. They say Ashbourne House was the only home they could find with an available room.
Mrs Grochowina said her mother, who couldn’t even turn over in bed, was left for hours drooling in a chair and left Ashbourne House underweight and dehydrated, with bed sores and faeces under her finger nails.
Ashbourne House investigation
The mum-of-two said her mother was given ‘no personal care at all’ and left ‘looking dead in the eyes’.
She told the M.E.N: “It’s the home from hell. When she moved in, it stunk. The room was filthy, I had to clean it myself.
“Mum was always freezing cold there. Her food would be untouched because she couldn’t feed herself - and staff didn’t do it for her.
“She would be left in the lounge in a chair, begging to be put back to bed. Mum hated it.
“They didn’t take her condition and health seriously. We were desperately calling around other homes to find her a bed.
“We couldn’t stand seeing her life that. She was dead in the eyes.
“A member of staff left because they were so disgusted with my mother’s treatment. They saw her as a burden.
“She was filthy and she left smelling foul.”
A post mortem found Ms McRonald died of bronchial pneumonia.
Mrs Grochowina, who is pushing for an inquest to be held to investigate her mother’s death, said a safeguarding conference found evidence of neglect and organisational abuse.
The M.E.N. has asked Rochdale council for the minutes of the meeting, but town hall chiefs say they have not yet been published.
They insist a raft of recommendations were made, but would not give details.
Urging the CQC to close Ashbourne House, Mrs Grochowina added: “How long are they going to allow this place to stay open? I can’t do anything for my mum now, but I can fight for the other residents and their families. People’s lives are at risk. Is it going to take a tragic death to shut it down?
“I just wish my mum knew how sorry I am I put her in that home. They robbed her of her dignity.
“The heartbreak they caused is indescribable, we’ve not even had chance to grieve.”
The HMR CCG had stopped sending NHS-funded patients to Ashbourne House in September because of concerns over ‘general standards of care and staffing issues’.
CQC inspectors, who last visited in February, say the home which cares for 17 people ‘requires improvement’. Officials said five breaches were identified, involving the management of drugs and poor record keeping.
Rochdale council’s director of adult services, Sheila Downey, said: “We are working closely with Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale Clinical Commissioning Group and the Care Quality Commission around safeguarding issues at Ashbourne House.
“We have robust procedures in place to ensure any allegation is fully investigated and appropriate action taken.
“Following a recent safeguarding meeting, a number of recommendations have been made for changes at the home which are being actioned and monitored. The quality and safety of care for residents is always our main priority.”
A police spokesman said officers were ‘re-examining’ initial evidence in the case.
A CQC spokeswoman said: “As a result of information provided to us by various sources about care at Ashbourne Nursing Home in Middleton, we brought forward a comprehensive inspection to ensure residents and staff were safe.
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Following our inspection we rated the service as requires improvement and will be working closely with colleagues from Rochdale council, and the Heywood, Middleton and Rochdale CCG to ensure that we see an improvement over the next six months.
“We will re-inspect in six months and expect the home to have drastically improved in the areas that we mention in our report.”
The M.E.N. has made multiple attempts to contact bosses at Ashbourne House Nursing Home - and owners Silverdale Care Homes - but has received no response.
