Woman, 73, choked to death on ham sandwich in care home

A household has been ‘completely destroyed’ aft their 73-year-old mum choked to decease connected a ham sandwich successful a attraction home.

Brenda Preston, 73, died connected February 28 3 days aft choking connected the repast that she was fixed by a caller carer astatine Ventress Hall attraction home, successful Darlington, County Durham.

She was connected a ‘soft mash’ fare and had to beryllium monitored whilst eating arsenic she had occupation swallowing.

After a superior unwellness with bacterial meningitis successful 2001 Brenda was near physically and mentally disabled.

For 13 years earlier her illness Brenda had herself worked arsenic a carer astatine Ventress Hall, and her hubby David Preston thought it was the champion spot to attraction for her owed to her analyzable needs.

But a carer who was caller to the location did not work her attraction program and gave her a ham sandwich – which was prohibited – and did not enactment to show her meal.

She was incapable to decently swallow her nutrient and was discovered by a caregiver arsenic her lips turned blue.

Brenda died 3 days aboriginal astatine Darlington Memorial Hospital, from terrible bronchial pneumonia and gastric aspiration.

Her household are present determined to guarantee that mistakes made in Brenda’s attraction are not repeated.

They privation alteration astatine Ventress Hall, and crossed Care UK’s web of residences.

David, Brenda’s heartbroken husband, said that determination had been mistakes astatine mealtimes earlier – but arsenic helium spent each time with her, helping to provender her, helium had ever been determination to drawback them.

He said: ‘She was my full life. She was the lone woman I ever had.

‘When we were successful Covid lockdown, I would basal astatine her model and archer her I loved her. I americium successful pieces present she is gone.’

The household accidental that ‘nothing tin hole the mistakes made’, but they privation to guarantee that “nothing similar this tin hap again” by raising consciousness through Brenda’s story.

Daughter Leigh-Anne said: ‘Nothing volition bring my mam back. The 1 happening you should ne'er person to interest astir erstwhile you’ve got a household successful attraction is their safety.

‘I cognize accidents happen, it is lone human, but this was wholly preventable. It was an implicit failure.

‘They fed thing to my mam that killed her – that’s unforgivable. I blasted the absorption astatine Ventress Hall 1 100 per cent.’

Dianna Coy, the determination manager of Care UK, which runs Ventress Hall, said: ‘We again connection our condolences to the household of Mrs Preston.

‘We pridefulness ourselves connected offering kind, harmless attraction to each residents successful our homes specified that whenever a information incidental occurs, we transportation retired a thorough probe to place immoderate areas of learning wrong the home.

‘We person already implemented respective improvements to debar this happening again and volition further bespeak connected the findings of the inquest. This location is presently rated “good” by the Care Quality Commission.’

Diane Encinias, the home’s manager, said that changes had been made to forestall akin incidents successful future, specified arsenic a caller ocular reminder connected residents’ chamber doors astir their attraction plans; a grooming presumption for each unit connected choking risks; and discussions of each patient’s needs astatine handover.

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