Safeguarding seniors from abuse by carers
Lessons to be learned after the Gaynette Holder case
Caregiver Gaynette Holder was found guilty on Monday of stealing more than $30,000 from former marine pilot George Welch and jailed for a year. When she is released from prison there will be nothing in law to stop her seeking a similar job again, despite new legislation passed last year. Sam Strangeways takes a look at how families and nursing homes can safeguard against hiring those who abuse Bermuda's elderly folk.
When Gaynette Holder applied for a job with We Care home help agency in 2005, there was nothing to suggest to her prospective employers that she was anything other than a normal middle-aged mother looking for work.
The 47-year-old had a clean criminal record, had done similar work before and her references came back fine, according to Shawn Butterfield, whose mother owns St. George's-based We Care.
"She had good service," he told The Royal Gazette. "The other people she had cared for had passed of natural causes. My mom gave her the chance of a job."
But within weeks of being taken on, Holder had so inveigled herself into the life of elderly client George Welch — who suffers from dementia — that she was able to persuade him to sign a letter saying she would work directly for him, cutting We Care out of the picture.
"She gave us a letter saying we would no longer be employed," said Mr. Butterfield. "We had actually just hired her to work before that."
Middle-aged fraudster Holder, of Park Lane, Pembroke, went on to steal some $32,000 from former ship's captain Mr. Welch, gaining "total control" of his life, according to prosecutors.
On Monday, she was found guilty at Magistrates' Court of 14 counts of theft and imprisoned for a year for her crimes, perpetrated against a vulnerable elderly man with no living relatives on the Island. Acting Magistrate Graveney Bannister also ordered Holder to pay the money back to 101-year-old Mr. Welch — or face further jail time.
Despite all the safeguards in place, Holder managed to financially exploit Mr. Welch, moving her family rent-free into his home, taking his belongings, clearing out his life savings and relegating him to the back of the house. For him, the Senior Abuse Register Act came too late.
• The NOSPC can be contacted on 292-7802 and Bermuda Nursing Council is on 236-0224.
Abridged
SOURCE: The Royal Gazetter, Bermuda
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