A RETIRED care home worker who spent 30 years in the industry has warned relatives to watch out for signs that their loved ones are being mistreated.

Lesley Searley says she encountered hundreds of cases of abuse, including a resident who was punched by a worker, which were hushed up by her bosses.

She worked for 10 years at Dannah House, in Wroughton, which was closed down by inspectors, before spending two more years at another care home in Wiltshire, which is now under new management, as well as working at two homes in Somerset.

Lesley, who started as an assistant aged 23 before becoming a manager, worked at a number of other homes in Wiltshire and Dorset.

The mother of-four said: “I would encourage anyone who has relatives in a care home to investigate homes, go at unexpected times of day, evening, early morning and check for signs of small round bruises indicating rough handling and make sure the home has lifting and moving equipment.

“Check if your relative has signs of fear, distress, weight loss and dehydration.

Even take your GP to the home to examine your relative and check the correct medication and documentation is being issued. Also check up at meal times.”

Lesley spoke in the wake of a BBC Panorama investigation revealing the mistreatment of a care home resident with dementia.

She said: “The cruelty has gone on for too many years and must not be overlooked any longer.

“Though I have worked with many staff who are dedicated and able, these are few and far between.

“I have sacked carers for gross misconduct in cases of cruelty, abuse and assaults on elderly people. The whole care system must be changed and looked into."

Lesley, who was also an NVQ trainer-assessor, claims mistreatment was commonplace at the homes she worked at.

Staff were adept at covering up problems during inspections which she said took place twice yearly – only one of which was unannounced.

"With Alzheimer’s and dementia the residents often cannot say they are being mistreated,” she said.

“The abuse also takes on many forms. If you pull someone up from a chair without the proper lifting aid the fingerprints leave imprints on their skin.

“Residents end up being hauled round the dining and living room areas like this.

“At one home an elderly man who had bad eyesight became frightened and pushed a worker away who was getting him up first thing in the morning.

“The worker responded by punching him right in the face.

“It was witnessed by another member of staff, a young girl, who was very upset.

“He was sacked and I didn’t hear of him again, but many are able to walk into other jobs in care.”

Lesley, 59, claimed the owners of Dannah House – a businessman and his son – were out to make a profit, even if it meant providing below-standard levels of care.

She said: “They did everything on the cheap and even said there were too many broken biscuits.

“It summed up the attitude. None of the homes were interested in caring for people or paying for training and the pay barely met the minimum wage.

“Many staff could not speak English and, while I am not blaming them, it led to confusion and distress among residents.”

Lesley, from Wroughton, also claimed a routine practice across care homes was to take residents out of bed as early as 5am and sit them in dining rooms as a favour to staff on another shift.

“Some care homes are worse than prisons,” she said. “Elderly people are treated as commodities, or as cattle, and not as human beings.

“The staff have so little time and training they end up running homes to suit themselves. I tried to deal with it through disciplinaries and the NVQ training.

“I also reported it to people in charge of the homes, but nothing happened. Looking back I feel like a coward, and wish I’d done more.

After watching the BBC documentary she wants to campaign for improvements.

“All I can do is encourage others in the care sector to report anything they are not happy about and speak out so we can make a stand against abuse which is taking place on a daily basis,” she said.