Letter reveals elder abuse by Lyndoch Living CEO

Carol Altmann – The Terrier

I received this letter from a resident’s family member last week, before Lyndoch Living CEO Doreen Power was stood down.

It’s only now I can publish this letter, without the threat of litigation from Ms Power.

THIS is why residents and families have been frightened to speak up.

And this is the toxic culture that the Lyndoch Living board has ignored and enabled.

Did the board know about this elder abuse by Ms Power? It should have – it’s legally responsible for resident safety.

And if it did know, why did it not apologise and immediately take action against Ms Power?

Ms Power, the board and all of the toxic enablers of this disgraceful chapter in Lyndoch’s history have to go.

Here is the letter:

“My mother is a victim of bullying by Doreen Power- one of many I gather.

My mother wrote a letter for the resident’s suggestion box on the 16th of May this year. I have a copy of the letter on my phone. It basically was a plea for more staff, and how unhappy Lyndoch is to live in.

My mother was escorted to Doreen’s office a couple of days after writing her letter. Mum had no idea why she was taken to the office.

Once she got into the office, Doreen was there with another staff member.

Mum was told in no uncertain terms that the letter had offended Doreen, because she thought that she had a better relationship with Mum.

She pointed to a stack of letters on her desk and said that they were all complimentary letters, unlike Mums.

To add salt to the wound, Doreen asked Mum if ” she still wanted to live at Lyndoch”.

The fact that Mum did not have any advanced notice that she would be facing any fall out for her letter, plus Mum did not have an advocate go into the office with her, is a disgrace.

All the staff knew about the incident in days to come, and kept asking Mum if she was O.K.

Yes, I could have put a complaint into the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, plus maybe even to the Elder Rights Advocacy, but poor old Mum is living in fear of being dragged into the office to face Doreen again.

And, to make matters even more severe, she has had many sleepless nights of worrying that she is going to be told to leave.

My mother has been living in Lyndoch for [edited]. I would like to see Doreen and her support group to face their own music and stop picking on defenceless old people.”