Woman, 89, died after Norfolk care home attack despite warnings

Doreen Livermore, pictured with her great-grandson Michael, suffered from dementia

The son of an elderly woman who died after she was attacked by a fellow care home resident repeatedly warned staff about the man's violent behaviour.

Doreen Livermore, 89, was pushed to the ground by a man with dementia at Amberley Hall, King's Lynn, Norfolk, in December 2017.

She suffered a broken hip and a head injury and died the following January.

Roy Livermore, of Snettisham, said he had alerted the home to the man's "aggressive behaviour".

Last week a review by the Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board questioned whether the Norfolk care home had the ability to safely manage the violent man, known as Mr Z.

Mr Livermore was concerned about the danger of the violent man to residents of the home

The review said Mr Z had punched residents in the head and face on at least nine other occasions and had also been violent to staff.

Mrs Livermore, who also suffered from dementia, had been hit by the man three times before the final assault.

Mr Livermore said he reported concerns to the home in October or November, but the review made it clear Mr Z attacked someone the day after he arrived in June, the Eastern Daily Press reported.

The home told him it had been given advice by care services on how to cope with the man and he would have an extra carer.

"But the carers were mainly young girls and were quite frightened of him," he said.

Mrs Livermore's family said she was "physically fit and healthy on 18 December... singing, humming, laughing, chatting and dancing"

"We were concerned that residents would not be protected from somebody who was such a violent person."

Joan Maughan, independent chair of Norfolk Safeguarding Adults Board, said: "The voices of the family certainly should have been heard and that is something we need to address."

A spokesman for Amberley Hall said a review had been carried out and it now vets patients more thoroughly.

"The care home staff have a duty of care to all the residents living in the home, including the gentleman involved in these events, and could therefore not act unilaterally to remove him from the home without having first explored all other options," said the spokesman.