Care home worker Amina Sani was suspended after secretly recorded footage showed her tormenting an 81-year-old dementia sufferer at Castlehill Care Home in Inverness, including threatening to hit him and repeatedly teasing him about taking a shower.
Secretly Recorded Footage
The footage, recorded by the resident's daughter Su Christie, showed Sani threatening to hit the man and telling him 'I am not your maid. You hit me, I will hit you'. She also mentioned the word 'shower' at least 22 times in nearly as many minutes, despite knowing of his fear, as the resident became increasingly agitated and distressed.
Ms Christie said she recorded the 'distressing' footage after several complaints about her father's care, including him being left 'dirty and smelly'. She moved him out of the care home weeks after the video was taken.
Panel Findings
A Scottish Social Services Council panel found Sani had told him 'We will call the police and they will take you to court' or similar words, the BBC reported. On another occasion, she pulled his duvet off without warning.
Namatirai Chipere, defending Sani, said she had not received adequate training and had been 'thrown in the deep end' for the job, which was her first in the UK. She told the panel the video showed an 'isolated incident' and did not represent a pattern of behaviour.
However, the care home owner, Morar Living, insisted she had completed courses in dementia awareness, adult support and protection, and communication. The inquiry concluded she had failed to use de-escalation techniques taught in training.
Other Abuse and Response
Another carer, Oluwabunmi Salami, admitted in the same hearing to causing the resident distress by lowering and raising his bed suddenly. A male worker was also shown in the clip abusing the resident, including shaking his bed from the footboard and drinking from his glass before recording the man as having taken a sip.
Morar Living said it had 'acted promptly' following the allegations and suspended the carers concerned, but couldn't directly comment while the case is still ongoing. A spokesperson added: 'The safety, dignity and wellbeing of our residents remains our priority, and all concerns regarding staff conduct are taken seriously and acted upon appropriately.'
