"Elderly Woman with Dementia Weighing 42kg Assaulted in Senior Center... Police Launch Investigation"

Five Elderly Care Center Employees Indicted for Assaulting Dementia Patient in Their 80s

An allegation has been raised that an elderly man in his 80s suffering from dementia was assaulted by the facility director and a caregiver at a senior day care center. Photo by online community screen capture.

[Asia Economy Reporter Heo Midam] The police have launched an investigation after allegations surfaced that an elderly woman in her 80s with dementia was collectively assaulted by the director and caregivers at a senior day care center in Gimcheon, Gyeongbuk.

On the 7th, the Gimcheon Police Station announced that five individuals associated with the senior care center have been booked on charges of violating the Elderly Welfare Act.

They are suspected of collectively assaulting the elderly woman with dementia inside the center last month. The woman sustained injuries including fractured ribs, requiring six weeks of medical treatment.

The incident came to public attention recently when the victim’s grandson, Mr. A, posted about it on an online community. On the previous day (the 6th), he uploaded a post titled "Grandmother was collectively assaulted at the day care center" on 'Nate Pann'.

He claimed that his grandmother, who has level 4 dementia and weighs about 42kg, was collectively assaulted by the center’s director and caregivers.

Mr. A said, "On the 29th of last month, I received a call from the center saying that my grandmother was causing a disturbance to the staff." He added, "When I visited the center, my grandmother had been taken to the hospital for treatment, and the staff who said they were slapped by her apologized to the family."

Later, while taking his grandmother home and helping her remove her coat, he discovered the assault. Mr. A stated, "Her face and arms were covered with bruises." After CT and X-ray examinations, it was confirmed that three ribs on her right side were fractured. Although the hospital recommended hospitalization, considering the police summons and investigation, we only reported the incident to the police station."

He continued, "When I went to the police station and checked the CCTV, the footage was completely different from the staff’s statement that they were slapped. The video showed my grandmother being collectively assaulted by three staff members, including the director."

He further alleged, "The staff repeatedly grabbed and dragged my grandmother by her hair, sat on her to restrain her, kicked her, and continuously struck her with their hands." He raised his voice, saying, "They covered her eyes with a mask, and the director covered her face with a blanket while pressing her head down with his knee for a long time."

Moreover, he expressed outrage, "The hitting continued, and after a while, when their hands were stained with blood, they stopped hitting. The director, who contacted his aunt, instead claimed that my grandmother was causing a disturbance."

Finally, Mr. A appealed, "I hope that punishments for elder abuse, which still frequently occur, will be strengthened, and that the perpetrators of this case will be severely punished." He added, "I hope that cruel acts toward the weak and powerless will no longer happen."

According to the current Elderly Welfare Act, those who abuse the elderly can face imprisonment of up to five years or a fine of up to 50 million won. Elder abuse is not a crime subject to victim’s non-prosecution (where prosecution is not possible if the victim does not wish to punish the offender), so judicial procedures proceed regardless of the victim’s intention or any settlement.

Meanwhile, the police are investigating the involved parties after confirming their identities through closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.