Grandmother died of malnutrition while under nursing home care

A Rochdale grandmother died weighing 4st 12lb whilst being cared for in a nursing home and was described by loved ones as looking like a skeleton.

Irene Willits, 88 died from malnutrition one day after leaving the care home to go to hospital. She died on 12/09/2009 and was being cared for at Ashbourne Nursing Home in Norden, Rochdale.

The official verdict of death states that Mrs Willits “died against a background of general frailty of health. She died on 12/09/2009 of malnutrition.”

“Mrs Willits underwent a dietetic review on 7/7/2009 and that was not followed up until 16/08/2009. It is unclear weather her death may have been averted had she been admitted to hospital prior to 09:35 on 11/09/2009”

When Mrs Willits moved to the home in November 2008, she weighed 5st 7lb. Mrs Willits weight then increased after being put on a high calorie diet to 6st 6lbs. The final time she was weighed, her weight had fallen to 5st 3lb.

After the inquest, coroner Simon Nelson stated that he would write to health authorities and police over the concerns raised.

Ashbourne Nursing Home were asked to comment but did not.