A son has slammed his mother’s ‘inhumane’ end-of-life care after it took her 28 days to die without food and water. Sarene Taylor, 88, died on Monday in a care home after having nourishment and fluids withdrawn following a stroke.
Mrs Taylor had been sent back from hospital to the home, but it took nearly a month for her to finally succumb after her treatment was ended.
Son Rob Taylor told North Wales Live his mother’s end-of-life care was “inhumane” and “heartbreaking” for the family – and needs to change. In an emotional video posted just says before Mrs Taylor died, her son shared his thoughts on her care.
He said: “This is not a story about illegality or legality, it’s about ethics. My mum is still alive – 24 to 25 days in without any food, any water, no IV drip, nothing – she’s still alive – and it’s inhumane and absolutely harrowing to the family and inhumane.
“That such a precious lady has been allowed to lie on a bed in a care home – in fairness being seen once a day by a district nurse and they do an outstanding job, it’s nothing against them or the care home – but it’s the ethics that she is just left to die, slowly from dehydration and malnutrition in front of our very eyes.
“This is how you would treat people back in the 11th and 12th Century – not 2023. It’s absolutely harrowing. There is nothing we can do, absolutely nothing we can do – and they have been wonderful, it’s just that it’s incredible that she’s probably suffering and it’s heartbreaking, it’s absolutely heartbreaking for us.”
Mr Taylor said he now plans to report the circumstances that led to his mother’s death to North Wales Police and the Older People’s Commissioner for Wales.
Mr Taylor said: “I understand end of life care, and the carers and district nurses do a fantastic job but to deny a human being food and water is disgraceful and we as a society need to ensure that this doesn’t happen again.
“The family thank everyone for their kind messages and loving support during these past weeks.”
Mr Taylor, a former North Wales police officer, said his mum had suffered a stroke and was in an unnamed North Wales hospital about four weeks ago.
But he claims doctors later told him that there nothing more they could do and began end-of life care, meaning fluids and food were withdrawn.
Andrea Hughes, Director of Nursing for Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s East Integrated Health Community, said: “We offer our sincere condolences to Mrs Taylor’s family for their very sad loss.
“While we cannot comment on individual cases in any detail, we were in daily contact with Mr Taylor about his mother’s care and we are investigating concerns that he has raised.”
