"42kg Dementia Grandmother Assaulted by Hair Pulling"… Care Center Staff Fined

Investigation Reveals 3 More Victims

At an elderly care center in Gimcheon-si, Gyeongbuk, staff members are abusing dementia patients. /Video=JTBC screen capture

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Ye-eun] Regarding the abuse case of an elderly dementia patient in their 80s that occurred on December 29 last year at a senior care center in Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk, Gimcheon City announced that it has imposed fines on seven workers at the facility for violating the mandatory reporting duty of elder abuse.

According to Gimcheon City, the facility director and workers, under the Elderly Welfare Act, are required to immediately report any knowledge of elder abuse against persons aged 65 or older in the course of their duties to specialized elder protection agencies or investigative authorities, but they failed to comply with this obligation.

Violations of the mandatory elder abuse reporting duty are subject to fines of up to 5 million KRW under the Elderly Welfare Act. All seven workers at the facility were fined 1.5 million KRW each for their first violation.

Currently, the Gimcheon Police Station arrested the director of the senior care center, Mr. A, on the 12th on charges including assault of the elderly dementia patient (violation of the Elderly Welfare Act). Four others, including the facility director and care workers, have been booked without detention on the same charges and are under investigation.

After analyzing the CCTV footage inside the facility, the police confirmed that there are three more victims and are currently expanding the investigation.

Bruises and wounds of an elderly woman in her 80s who was assaulted at a senior welfare center. / Photo by Online Community 'Nate Pann' capture

Meanwhile, this dementia patient assault case came to light when the victim’s family reported it to the police on the 29th of last month. The victim’s family member, Mr. B, posted on an online community on the 6th, stating, "My 42 kg grandmother with dementia was collectively assaulted by center staff," and shared photos of the injuries.

According to the post, on December 29 last year, the facility director contacted the family saying the grandmother was causing a disturbance and told them, "I was slapped by the grandmother." The family assumed the facility was harmed due to the grandmother’s violent behavior and apologized multiple times to the director and care workers, saying, "We are sorry."

However, Mr. B explained, "When I returned home and took off grandmother’s coat, she screamed in pain as soon as my hand touched her chest," and added, "Upon closer inspection, her face and arms were covered with bruises."

The family then reported the incident to the police and reviewed the center’s CCTV footage. The video showed the grandmother being assaulted by the director and staff for about 20 minutes. The director and others repeatedly grabbed and dragged her by the hair, pinned her down by sitting on her, and kicked and slapped her.

As a result, the grandmother suffered serious injuries including three broken ribs and bruises all over her body, requiring six weeks of medical treatment.

The police are currently reviewing the restored footage through digital forensic work, and depending on the investigation results, Gimcheon City plans to take administrative actions such as suspending operations or revoking the designation (closure) of the senior care center facility.

Mayor Kim Chung-seop of Gimcheon City stated, "This incident serves as a reminder that all heads and workers of long-term elderly care institutions are mandatory reporters of elder abuse. I urge them to take the lead in protecting the dignity and human rights of the elderly using their facilities."