An elderly ‘bedridden’ woman died two days after a mysterious fall at Abbey Court Care Home in Bourne.
Janet Baker (80), formerly of Long Sutton, was found on the floor between her wardrobe and bed by nurse Sheryl Manzon at 5.15am on October 29 last year.
Bruising triggered an abdominal bleed which contributed to her death along with other health conditions, including “extreme wasting” and heart and lung problems.
The frail pensioner, who suffered from dementia and a condition making her liable to bruise, weighed around 4 stones – and lost around two stones since her admission in December 2011.
Elizabeth Baker said her mother-in-law wasn’t able to reposition herself in bed and relied on staff to move her.
“In my mother-in-law’s case, I really don’t believe she had the muscle power to get herself out of bed and hadn’t had for some time,” Mrs Baker said.
On the day she died, “a nurse called Sheryl” rang at 1.30am and her opening remark was: “I need the telephone number of your undertaker.”
Mrs Baker visited the pensioner on October 27, phoned the next day and heard she was “fine”, but said she wasn’t told she had deteriorated.
Coroner Professor Robert Forrest recorded a verdict of accidental death.
He said: “There is no evidence whatsoever that the actual care at the nursing home contributed to Mrs Baker’s death.”
After Tuesday’s hearing, Elizabeth Baker said she accepted the verdict, but remains “mystified as to how she got out of bed”.