When Kathleen Cole was removed from Holmwood House care home (see The BRISTOLIAN passim), the new home into which she was placed was so concerned about the state she was in that they took a series of photos to carefully record the clearly-visible injuries that she had suffered.
With the permission of Kathleen’s daughter, we publish here a selection of those photos.
This is what abuse looks like:
Kathleen Cole
Bruising to the arm
Bruising to the leg
Skin tear on the elbow
Grade 3 bed sore
» If you’re concerned by what you’ve seen and want some ACTION from Bristol City Council rather than reports, write to or phone the following and tell them “SHUT DOWN THE HORROR HOME NOW”!
Alison Comley
Director Health and Social Care
Email: alison.comley@bristol.gov.uk
Tel: 0117 353 7860
Mike Hennessey
Director Neighbourhoods
Email: mike.hennessey@bristol.gov.uk
Tel: 0117 903 7061 or 0117 352 1069
George Ferguson
Mayor
Email: mayor@bristol.gov.uk
Twitter: @georgefergusonx
The 1st photo shows a seriously malnourished person. The 2nd and 3rd photos show severe bruising but on a person with so little flesh, bruising occurs easily.
The skin tears in the 4th photo are due to severe dehydration, with the skin too dry to hold together. The skin tears are very painful and slowly spread.
The Grade 3 pressure sore in the 5th photo is caused by failing to move Mrs Cole at all. Grade 3 pressure sores are always caused by neglect. No non-neglected person could ever be left in a stationary position long enough to develop an ulcer that deep on the skin. Pressure sores are very painful. They become infected and cause death from sepsis rapidly in malnourished and dehydrated people.
These are photos of someone who has been severely neglected.