The story of Esther Brown became viral after her son found her choking in her own saliva. Esther was a resident at Altercare Nobles Pond in Canton, and her son, James, decided to visit his mom. His visit wasn’t announced.
It was a late-night visit, and James was shocked to see that his mom was with her face down in the pillow, sitting in a private room.
The pastor, Julia Wiggins, shared two photos of Esther, to raise people’s awareness regarding their old parents. Surprise visits are important, and this case sure taught us a lesson.
Wiggins took to her Facebook account to write about the incident. First, they noticed something in the nurses’ station, and when they came closer, they noticed Esther.
Her face was buried in a soft pillow and she was gasping for breath. Wiggins and James banged on doors and screamed for help for 5-10 minutes.
Esther heard James’ voice and raised her head. Wiggins even thought that it was the cat.
This situation is a clear example that family members need to visit the facility to make sure their loved ones are taken care off.
The photos went viral and triggered an investigation of the Ohio Department of Health and the Ohio Department of Aging.
Some healthcare workers say that Esther may have been put in the station for her own safety, explaining that patients with dementia are really strong and may cause problems.
Esther’s family filed a complaint against the facility. Altercare Nobles Pond reported the concern to the Ohio Department of Health and even conducted an internal investigation.
The old woman was neglected, and the health department and the care center are trying to figure out what happened.
Watch the video to hear the story told by Esther’s family:
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