A Cowdenbeath woman has called for change in care homes after secretly recording her mum's mistreatment in a Fife care home.
Nurse Nicola Hughes became so worried about what was happening to her mum, Jannette Ritchie, from Ballingry, that she set up a camera in her room at the Barrogil House home.
The shocking footage revealed one carer putting bedding over the face of Mrs Ritchie, who has dementia, saying "rest in peace".
There were other instances of verbal and physical abuse and her being left in her room without any welfare checks from before 8pm until the next morning.
She told the Times: "Within a few weeks, concerns started about her not being given medication on time most mornings until the back of 11 which was causing her significant distress and agitation and had a massive impact on her mental health.
"I decided to start the cameras and see what was going on. What I witnessed was absolutely entirely heartbreaking.
"They would get her up and dressed in the morning without even washing her clean. Her skin was breaking down, she was being secluded in the bedroom."
After she claimed to staff she had spent the night at the home without anyone coming into Mrs Ritchie's room, she hoped things may improve.
"I had to become devious. I was setting traps to catch staff out so I could go in the manager's office and say things are not happening. I put fresh toiletries in and come the Monday morning, they had not been used.
"My mum had not been washed and I staged an overnight stay in the nursing home. I went down to the nursing home, got her changed into pyjamas, gave her a wash and just before I left, I stood at the bottom of the bed and took a picture of myself so you could see me, and my mum lying in the bed.
"I changed the time on the photo to 5.25am. I told them I had spent the whole night in the nursing home and left at 5.25am and not one member of staff came in to complete a welfare check.
"I had a big meeting and I was made out to be the problem. Nothing changed. I took the cameras out after that thinking it would prompt staff to complete the basics.
"Another incident was my mum had been left covered in faeces. My dad heard them talking about it.
"I put the cameras back in again and this is when everything unfolded and all the trauma stuff. Physical abuse, verbal abuse, they were pinning her down on the toilet, she was covered in bruises.
"I went to the police in June. That was the day the male carer was pulling the duvet over her head. They said they couldn't help me and I had to go back to the home and take it up with them. They did contact the Care Inspectorate but I had already been on to them."
Mrs Ritchie, 67, has been in the home since the beginning of last year and her daughter stressed that not all employees there to blame.
Nicola said: "What I would highlight to everybody is that some of the staff on the day shift are absolutely phenomenal and worth their weight in gold. They put a wee smile on wee Jinty's face."
"The number of people who are going through exactly the same," she added. "They have got the same stuff going on. It has to change. I have started a petition to get cameras in care homes because we need them.
"Dementia is a horrible illness but this has made her journey incredibly difficult."
A spokesperson for Barrogil House said workers have been dismissed as a result of the concerns raised by Nicola and her family.
“Mrs Ritchie has been a resident of Barrogil House, a well-established, purpose-built care home providing 24-hour care for older people, since February 2024," they said.
"Following concerns raised by her family in June of last year, we took immediate action which resulted in the dismissal of five members of staff.
“A subsequent unannounced inspection noted our good staffing levels and commitment to kindness and respect, and we continue to work closely with all relevant authorities to make improvements including a revised care plan for Mrs Ritchie.
"The health and wellbeing of our residents is our utmost priority, and we aim to offer the highest possible standards of care and compassion.”
A spokesperson for the Care Inspectorate added: "This was a distressing case. We have upheld four elements of one complaint in relation to this matter and published the outcome on our website.
"We remain in close contact with this care service, and inspected them in January. The report of that inspection has been published.
"Anyone with a concern can contact us on 0345 600 9527."
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