A place that cares

A109 Light Utility Helicopter flight with mayor Gisborne City from the air in November 2023.

Re: Treatment insufficient, September 6 story.

I know Alison Jackson’s daughter Leigh and her husband Wayne well. They are lovely people. The unfortunate demise of Alison at Dunblane Rest Home should not have occurred. However, throughout the lives of us all, accidents will happen — sometimes with tragic consequences.

Inattention by one of the staff allowed Alison to fall and break her hip. That person will have had many sleepless nights, I’m sure, but the home cannot be blamed for this. However, the follow-up care was poor to say the least.

Who do we cast blame upon?

The management has since changed and the new manager, Mike, has reviewed, altered and improved every aspect of the home’s rules and regulations.

I also believe we would struggle to find any rest home in the country that has not had some unfortunate incident.

Leigh/Wayne, I love you, and I loved Alison. However, I am certain she would never have wished for the furore that followed her demise.

I entertain at all Gisborne’s rest homes, and Dunblane is among a few at the top of my list of “places that care”.

Leigh, your mother should not have passed away because of the mishap and poor rehab treatment. However, I can only say how lucky you and your extended family were to have such an amazing and irreplaceable person in your lives.

My mother became ill on October 7, 2004. Dad phoned for an emergency doctor who, after examining my mother, gave her an injection of morphine. She had no prior case notes and did not know that mum had been prescribed morphine tablets for some time. Mum died in her sleep that night.

Was an “overdose” the reason? I have to say that was my presumption.

As I say, accidents do happen, as do mistakes. Leigh and Wayne, please do not think less of me for my support of Dunblane. You have every right to be angry. All I can say is Que sera sera — what will be, will be.

Show me a person who has never made a mistake and I will show you a person who has never done anything.

Mike Mulrooney