BOSSES at a Hampshire care home which has been told it needs to improve by the CQC say it is making changes following the death of an elderly dementia sufferer.

Barton Lodge Care Home in New Milton was where 94-year-old Joe Hiscock suffered a fall which led to his death.

Winchester Coroner’s Court heard that Mr Hiscock suffered from dementia, mobility problems and had a history of falls.

It is unclear how he fell off his bed, but carers who were in the room opposite immediately attended to him after hearing a thud.

They called an ambulance and he was taken to Southampton General Hospital where he later died on August 19 of a subdural haemorrhage.

An inquest into his death heard that there was a pressure mat in place in his room, this was there to reduce falls and accidents.

However Mr Hiscock’s family say it was never connected in during the day, but carers told the hearing it is connected once Mr Hiscock is in bed.

Coroner Karen Harrold said people suffering from dementia can mistake the mats for “holes” in the ground which can cause falls.

The inquest heard the care home had an inspection by the Care Quality Commission a week after Mr Hiscock’s death where inspectors deemed that the home requires improvements.

They said unexplained injuries had not always been recorded, reported or investigated and that trends in falls were not mentioned in accident reports.

Manager of Barton Lodge Care Home, Julie House apologised to the family of Mr Hiscock.

She said that the home is implementing a range of changes that the CQC has called for and also also said a review into missing “records” of falls from the mats at the home revealed there was a missing cable, which meant “chunks of time” were not recorded from the pressure mat.

Ms House said: “This is a very serious thing to happen in our home we are incredibly sad about it, I do feel that mats are not always going to be effective for everyone.”

The home now has new systems in place and motion sensor alarms known as a PIR system instead of mats will be introduced where necessary.

Assistant coroner Karen Harrold recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mrs Harrold said: “On the balance of probabilities the mat was connected and as part of the routine it would be connected.

“His fall can only be described as a tragic accident.”

“Pressure mats are there to alert staff if someone has fallen or needs help, here Joe had a fall and the help he needed was immediately there.

“I think the action that the care home has taken by implementing a PIR system is a better option.”