ELDERLY residents living in care homes are vulnerable people.

They are there because they’re not able to take care of themselves and therefore rely on others to look after their basic daily needs.

Relatives put their trust in these homes, believing that their parent or elderly relative is being treated with respect and dignity.

It must have been incredibly upsetting for Diane Harris who, as reported in today’s Gazette, said she found her 91-year-old father covered in urine when she visited him last year at Beech Tree Care Home in Overton.

What is even more shocking is that the concerns she raised in April last year regarding the home, were still present eight months later when the home was inspected by the Care Quality Commission.

The report, published last month, said the home was inadequate in every area inspected and that residents were “at risk” of infection or malnutrition.

Mrs Harris has told The Gazette she feels guilty for letting her father down.

But what else could she have done other than voice her concerns and use her spare time to take over the care of her father.

It is a shame that no one from Beech Tree, or Leyton Healthcare which runs the home along with 30 others across the country, has commented on the inspection report or Mrs Harris’ experience.

The Gazette has made numerous attempts to speak with the manager at the home or a representative from Leyton Healthcare, if only to gain reassurance for others whose relatives live at Beech Tree, that it is now safe.

But our calls and emails have been ignored, and the home has even refused to state who is now in charge.

For such a large provider of care homes, it really should be answerable.

The Gazette hopes that changes have now been made at Beech Tree so that other residents and their families don’t have to suffer.

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