Family speak about fathers ‘shocking’ treatment in nursing home

A Tallaght man will speak on RTÉ Prime Time tonight about the “shocking” footage he saw about his father being treated poorly in a Dublin nursing home.

Audeon Guy (80) was one of the vulnerable residents who appeared in last week’s RTÉ Investigates undercover documentary into the standards of care at two nursing homes.

The documentary investigated Beneavin Manor nursing home in Glasnevin, where Audeon was a resident, and The Residence Portlaoise, both being run by Ireland’s largest provider of private nursing homes, Emeis.

“No one should have to go through what we’ve seen. No one should be handled like our father was,” Audeon’s son Paul said in the interview to be broadcast tonight.

Following a bad fall late last year, Audeon was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia which causes severe confusion and hallucinations.

Unable to return home, Paul, Sarah and their other siblings Kassandra and Dave began the search for a suitable nursing home for their father.

They turned to the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) and spent days sifting through the regulator’s nursing home inspection reports.

“For Beneavin Manor we read the reports, and it seemed to be a very safe place to go. We looked at the brochures, I went and did the tour. It seemed to be fine.”

Audeon from Old Bawn Esate, Tallaght, moved into Beneavin Manor in January 2025 where he was assigned one-to-one care.

A few months later, Paul and his siblings started having concerns.

“I have examples of him sitting on his own in the corridor ripping up pieces of paper which was meant to be some form of activity. I’ve witnessed really poor personal care in terms of his toenails left for weeks to grow and rot,” said Paul.

“On another day there was urine all over the floor in his bathroom and there was no toilet seat. It just seemed to be a consistent flow of poor care for people who are in dire need of attention.”

The family had also seen residents who wanted to use the toilet being left unattended for lengthy periods of time, while they were worried their father had on occasion been inappropriately handled and sometimes did not have enough clothes because his laundry had not been done.

In March 2025, they filed a detailed complaint to management at Beneavin Manor, which assured them corrective actions had been put in place.

Yet three weeks later, RTÉ’s undercover carer captured disturbing footage including their father, Audeon Guy.

In the scene he was directed along a corridor at pace to his bedroom by two carers to change his incontinence pad.

The carers steered his walking frame while one held the waist of his trousers. Confused Audeon lashed out before being forced into his room, his trousers pulled down and pushed into an armchair.

The footage showed vulnerable residents left unsupervised, inappropriate handling of frail older people and a lack of basic supplies such as towels, bedsheets, gloves and sanitary wipes. It indicated a general shortage of staff too.

“When I saw the actual footage, I was shocked, but it wasn’t a revelation,” said Paul.

“That’s what is unfortunate. We had done everything. We put in all the complaints, notified everyone that was required, got responses back, acknowledgement of all their mistakes, plans being put in place, and this still happened, and it happened to all the other people in the footage as well.

“That’s the bigger issue – there’s no accountability for this. These are human people – people who lost their dignity and no one should have to go through that.”

“Our dad is the loveliest man,” added Sarah. “He’d do anything for you, really kind, loving, charitable and a big hugger.”

In the wake of last week’s RTÉ Investigates documentary, Emeis Ireland apologised to Audeon’s family, saying the standard of care depicted in the footage was unacceptable.

They ensured the family again that a full investigation into staff practice and additional management supervision, training and staff has immediately taken place, but in response to RTÉ they said they do not comment on individual cases or families.

Paul and his siblings are now searching for alternative care, but they struggle to trust HIQA inspection reports again.

Through their TV appearance they called on the Government to enact the Adult Safeguarding Bill, a vital law which could protect vulnerable individuals like their father from harm, abuse and neglect.

“It’s been sitting with Government for ages – we need to push this through,” said Paul Guy.

Watch the full interview tonight on RTÉ Prime Time, Tuesday at 9.35pm on RTÉ One and RTE Player.

The documentary, RTÉ Investigates: Inside Ireland’s Nursing Homes is also available to watch on the RTE Player.