A man is calling for national changes to dementia care after his mother died following a night-time attack by another resident in a care home.Author: Charlotte BarberPublished 5 hours agoRichard Uridge has launched the Shut That Door campaign to raise awareness of the right for people living with dementia to have their bedroom doors closed at night.His mother, Sheila Hartman, 88, died on October 2, 2022, after being attacked while she slept in her room at a care home in Dunstable, Bedfordshire.Mr Uridge, from near Ludlow in Shropshire, said: “My mother was asleep in her care home bedroom… the woman in the room two doors down had woken up in the night… and wandered into my mum’s room.”“In her confusion, she thought that my mum was an intruder in her own home.”“So she set about my mum with her walking stick and beat her many, many times… my mum was very seriously injured and died in hospital six or seven hours later.”He said the incident led to a police investigation and inquest, where the care home operator admitted failings in the care of both women.The other resident, who also had dementia, “had no idea what they were doing”, he added.Now, nearly four years on, an adult safeguarding review has concluded the case was not isolated and highlights wider national concerns about dementia care.Mr Uridge said: “The report shows that this wasn’t an isolated incident, but that resident-on-resident violence is a much more prevalent issue than perhaps we’d like to think.”The review found that Mrs Hartman’s death “occurred within a system that did not adequately protect people living with dementia” and identified a number of national issues, including the lack of clear standards.“One of the things that leapt off the page… was the fact that there are no national standards for dementia care in England and that there is no dementia strategy,” Mr Uridge said.“That means pretty much any old people’s home can say that it’s a specialist dementia care home – and that really isn’t the case.”He also highlighted the routine practice of leaving bedroom doors open at night in care homes.“The other thing that leapt off the page… is that care home bedroom doors are routinely left open at night,” he said.“I think it’s to make it easier for staff to check on residents… but it’s not possible to do a proper safe and well check from a distance.”Mr Uridge believes simply closing doors could help prevent similar tragedies.“For me, the number one recommendation is simple – shut that door,” he said.The safeguarding review also found that decisions about bedroom doors are often treated as routine, rather than being discussed with residents and families as part of individual care and safety planning.It warned that while open doors may help staff monitor residents, they can remove choice and increase risks—particularly as people with dementia who wander cannot legally be locked in their rooms.Mr Uridge said his campaign aims to ensure families, care providers and professionals understand that residents have the right to sleep behind a closed door if they wish.Alongside the campaign, he is also keen to remind people that those living with dementia are more than their condition.“It’s very easy to think of older people with dementia as… ‘patients’,” he said.“But what we should always do… is remember we did have a backstory. We were young once.”He hopes the campaign will spark wider national change and improve both safety and dignity in care homes.The findings of the review are expected to contribute to ongoing discussions about dementia care standards across England.Hear all the latest news from across the UK on the hour, every hour, on Greatest Hits Radio on DAB, smartspeaker, at greatesthitsradio.co.uk, and on the Rayo app.
Multiple fire crews were called to a detached barn fire in Little Brickhill last night, which generated multiple calls to Thames Valley Fire Control Service.
Units from West Ashland, Broughton and Bedfordshire were called to the blaze, containing timber and tools.
Support was also provided by neighbouring fire and rescue services, including Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service and Bedfordshire Fire and Rescue Service. At the height of the incident, 14 appliances were in attendance.
The building has been severely affected, with approximately 80% damaged by fire.
One male casualty, suffering from smoke inhalation, was treated at the scene and is now in the care of the South Central Ambulance Service.
Residents are being advised to keep doors and windows closed.
Crews will remain on scene for some time as they continue firefighting operations and work to bring the incident to a close.
