"Tragic Care Failures: My 96-Year-Old Mum Fed Microwaved Dog Food Weeks Before Her Passing"

THE daughter of an elderly woman who was fed dog food by her carer just three weeks before she died has spoken out about the “absolute hell” that her mother lived through.

Justine Morrison, 56, says she hasn’t been able to grieve since the horror incident two-and-a-half years ago as she fights for justice for her mum Joyce.

The hairdresser from , , said her 96-year-old mother had been force-fed and left in the dark by her carers – leaving her “hanging from her bed like a sack of potatoes”.

Joyce started to receive home care from Radis Community Care in August 2022 before she passed away just under two years later.

Beforehand, Justine says she became so concerned with her mum’s treatment that she put an alarm clock with a concealed camera in her bedroom.

After a number of incidents, the “neglect” culminated in Joyce being spoon-fed microwaved dog food.

“One went straight to the freezer, not looking at the care plan, took the dog food out, put it in the microwave, defrosted it and spoon fed it to my mum,” Justine recalled.

“I actually put it in the microwave myself, I’ve had to smell what my mum had to deal with and it smells horrendous.

“I’ve tortured myself over my mum having been fed that. I just visualise what my mum’s face must have been like.”

When Justine was told what had happened – which she claims was two weeks after the care provider knew of the incident – she “could not describe what those words did to me”.

She said her mum was a “caring and compassionate” person but she was a “vulnerable, elderly woman who depended upon other people to protect her dignity”.

Justine also claimed that on another “distressing” occasion, she could hear her mum crying out on the camera she installed after she was left in the dark.

“They become your children in the end, it’s like the roles are reversed. It definitely breaks your heart,” she said.

Justine raised several concerns with Radis, including an email in January 2024 to the manager who said a safeguarding referral would be raised, but the manager told her she did not know how to raise a concern.

She claimed that in another meeting, a manager “made a mockery” of the dog-food incident and she has yet to receive any form of apology from Radis – the company have disputed both points.

Justine reported the incidents to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

After an into the treatment that Joyce received – which was commissioned by Portsmouth City Council – it was found that there were significant failings in the care provided by Radis as well as with the council’s oversight and quality monitoring.

Earlier this week, Justine spoke of the ordeal that she and her family have been through at a council meeting looking into the ombudsman’s report at the Portsmouth Guildhall.

She said what happened to her mum “has changed my life forever”, saying there were “endless failings”.

“I witnessed my mum being left hanging from her bed like a sack of potatoes. She was left for hours in soiled and smelly nappies. She was given stale food. She was left in the dark crying out,” she continued.

“Medication was found in and under her bed and was also placed in such a small paper cup, no bigger than a 10 pence piece, that she couldn’t get a finger in it as her hands were riddled with arthritis.

“Records were not accurate and her care plans became 18 months out of date. Her ‘do not resuscitate’ form was found screwed up at the back of a cabinet.

“Mum lived through the war, she experienced evacuation and lived through times most of us can only imagine.

“Yet I don’t believe she ever experienced anything quite like what she went through towards the end of her life. This is something I will never be able to accept.”

Justine has now set up a petition for Joyce’s Law calling for greater training to be given to care staff and stronger safeguarding and accountability to be enforced.

She is also in the process of setting up a registered called Joyce’s Voice, which will campaign for change and be an advocate and source of guidance for people faced with similar issues.

“There is a crisis in the UK with the care system, it is now time for my mum’s voice to be heard,” she said.

Cllr Matthew Winnington, Cabinet Member for Community Wellbeing, Health & Care, said: “We accept the Ombudsman’s findings in full and recognise the seriousness of what happened in this case. We ended our contract with Radis early and we no longer work with, or commission services from them.

“The care described in this report is not the standard anyone should expect, particularly at such a vulnerable time in someone’s life.

“We have apologised to the family and are very sorry for the distress they have experienced; we know this has been deeply upsetting for the family.”

He added that they have accepted the report’s recommendations including “refunding care costs and making financial payments to recognise the impact on the family”.

Radis Community Care say, following the dog-food incident, that two support workers were immediately suspended.

A spokesperson said: “Radis is deeply sorry for the serious failings in aspects of Joyce’s care and for the distress caused to Joyce and her family.

“We have never sought to minimise what happened. Radis accepts the Ombudsman’s findings that there were serious failings in aspects of Joyce’s care and management oversight.

“We took action in relation to the support workers involved and have made significant changes to care planning, safeguarding, management oversight and quality assurance as a result in the two years since the incident took place.

“We do, however, want to correct some factual inaccuracies. It is incorrect to say that Radis did not apologise directly to the family. Radis wrote to the family on the 25th of June 2024, apologising for the distress caused to Joyce and her family.

“A further written apology was made in September 2024, and a senior manager also apologised on behalf of Radis during two meetings with the family. We hold the correspondence which confirms this.

“The dog food incident occurred on the 16th of June 2024. It was reported to Radis management on the 23rd of June and escalated to the regional management team on the 24th of June. Joyce’s family and social worker were informed on the 25th of June.

“We recognise Mrs Morrison’s right to speak about her experience and to campaign for improvements in adult social care. Radis supports efforts to strengthen safeguarding, accountability and quality across the sector.

“At the same time, given the seriousness of this case, we believe it is important that the facts are reported accurately.”