Care home nurse caught on video spraying aerosol into dementia patient's face convicted of ill-treatment
Betty Boylan's family hid camera in her room at Bupa-run care home in Birmingham
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Your support makes all the difference.A care home worker has been convicted of ill-treating an elderly woman with dementia as secret footage emerged of her spraying an aerosol can in the patient’s face.
In the video, recorded by a camera hidden by Betty Boylan’s family in her room, Susan Draper appears to aim the can of body spray at the 78-year-old, about a foot away from her mouth.
Draper, 43, is then seen combing Ms Boylan’s hair as the immobile widow gurgles and reportedly says “stop it”, before spraying the Impulse scent in the room again and telling a colleague: “It’s better than poo”.
The worker at the Bupa-run Perry Locks Care Home in north Birmingham was dismissed after 17 years at the home and is the second former employee to be convicted of ill-treating the great-grandmother.
Bina Begum was filmed lifting her by the head to dress her and roughly dropping her back into her chair at the home, which is said to charge £1000 a month.
The 49-year-old was handed a 12-month community order and given both a £270 fine and 40 hours of unpaid work.
Draper was found guilty after a day-long trial at Birmingham Magistrates Court, which heard she had “dehumanised” Ms Boylan by spraying the body spray at her, reported the Birmingham Mail.
Prosecutor Sean Williams told the court Ms Boylan is “immobile and is a highly vulnerable individual”, according to the newspaper.
Draper’s actions were “reckless” and are “something which a carer, acting professionally and responsibly, should have avoided”.
The incident was recorded in September 2016 after Ms Boylan’s family fitted a hidden camera in her room when they became concerned by bruises on the elderly woman’s body.
Ms Boylan was diagnosed with dementia in 2012 and had been at the care home for more than a year at the time of the incident.
Draper, who wept as she gave evidence, said she had used the spray to make Ms Boylan spray nice, telling the court: “I am not a bad person and I would not hurt any resident,” according to the Birmingham Mail.
Vivienne Birch, director of quality for Bupa Care Services, said: "This behaviour is totally unacceptable. We immediately suspended her in September 2016 and shortly afterwards she was formally dismissed. We were shocked and saddened by the footage.
"We’re deeply sorry this happened and for the distress it has caused Mrs Boylan’s family. We're proud of the care our staff provide and do not tolerate behaviour like this at any of our homes."
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