Elder Abuse: The Story of Norma Stenson

Norma Stenson had been living in Charlotte Villa Retirement Home in Brantford, Ontario for only a month when her supplemental caregivers began to realize that something was horribly wrong.

One of Norma's supplement caregivers, Jean Bowen, noticed that the frail 87 year old woman was complaining a lot. This was not Norma's way. Norma had had several strokes and had a difficult time communicating. However, from her actions, Jean knew that Norma was unhappy. She told Norma to give herself time to adjust to her new home.

Charlotte Villa was supposed to be the best retirement home in the area. They charged good money for seniors to live there. But it was soon evident to Jean that Norma was being physically abused. When Jean and Norma's alternate caregiver, Lesley Anthony inquired of the marks that appeared on their patient's body, they were given numerous excuses. Norma had fallen out of her wheelchair. She had hurt herself on the railing of her bed. Jean's gut told her they were lying and then the Director of Care shouted at Jean for spoiling Norma and said it was about time that the elder was treated the same as the other people living in the retirement home.

From there, things snowballed. Workers began to complain about Norma. They said she Norma had kicked a pregnant nurse in the stomach - that she had threatened to kill the pregnant nurse's unborn child. Jean and Lesley knew they were lying. Norma couldn't lift her leg more than six inches off the floor; she hadn't spoken a complete sentence in more than seven years.

Because Charlotte Villa administrators wouldn't acknowledge that Norma was being abused, Jean and Lesley decided to take matters into their own hands. They placed a hidden camera in Norma's room and the results were horrifying.

Jean and Lesley did suspect abuse, but also wondered if Norma was suffering from dementia. They were horrified when their camera showed that day after day Norma was being thrown into her bed, threatened with fists, hit with a slipper and screamed at. The camera showed nurses helping themselves to Norma's money and food. How could all this be happening in a retirement home were there were people around at all times of the day and night? The tapes made Jean literally sick to her stomach.

Armed with the tapes, Jean and Lesley went to the Brantford Police. Sgt. Dave Wiedrick couldn't believe his eyes when they ran the tapes for him. Two Charlotte Villa workers were charged. Shelley Griswald was charged with one account of assault and two of theft. Amanda LaPierre was charged with four accounts of assault and one of theft.

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