Daughter slams care home for serving mum, 85, food 'not fit for a dog' before her death

A devastated daughter claims a care home served her elderly mother food "not for fit for a dog". Colette Clarke shared photos of "disgusting" plates of beige, processed food that her 85-year-old mum Wendy Parsons was given during the two years she spent at Daleside Nursing Home in Birkenhead, the Wirral.

Among the culinary nightmares on offer for Wendy were a chunks of sausage roll and baked beans, white bread triangles with slices of over-hard-looking cheese and a dish Ms Clarke described as "brown unidentified slop". Wendy passed away aged 85 in December this year after suffering from "pneumonia, influenza, and a bowel infection called clostridium difficile, or C. diff".

Ms Clarke told the Daily Express: "To be honest [the food was] appalling. The website says they have a chef and they cook these nutritious meals. But I've seen what they get. The food they do get is the most basic stuff, I've seen it being delivered.

"Good healthy nutrition [is important] for elderly people. Well you would think so wouldn't you but no they got this slop instead. Personally I wouldn't feed it to my dog."

Daleside Nursing Home said there was a safeguarding investigation in early 2025 as a result of Ms Clarke's complaint and her claims around inadequate care were "not substantiated". They claimed Wendy's meals were "prepared to accommodate both medical and dietary needs".

However, a Care Quality Commission [CQC] inspection last year branded the care home "inadequate" on the safety elements and the service was found to be "not safe". A section of the report read: "The service was not safe. We identified 3 breaches of the legal regulations. We identified multiple failings with regards to medicines and risk management. Some staff had not been safely recruited.

"Concerns raised by family members had not always been appropriately listened to nor acted upon in a robust manner. This placed people at risk of continued harm."

Ms Clarke has distressing photos showing former carer Wendy's clothes, bedding and even herself covered in what appears to be her own urine or faeces on multiple occasions last year. The 85-year-old also had a number of bruises on her skin.

In December last year Ms Clarke visited her mother and found her health had deteriorated to the point she was struggling to communicate. Ms Clarke said she was forced to hunt for care home staff and demand they ring 999. Wendy died three days later in hospital.

Ms Clarke, from Wallasey, The Wirral, said: "I was disgusted that the place entrusted to care for mum would actually let her get in that condition. Mum had complex needs. They [care home staff] were aware how quickly she could go downhill.

"When my brother went in over that weekend she was down and out. She should have already been taken to hospital.

"I was upset, I was disappointed, I was angry. Really, really angry. We've put out trust in them to look after mum and look at the state she's got in. Look how they've let her go."

Daleside Nursing Home is part of We Care Group, which operates care homes across the North and North West, with fees starting from £890 per week. Daleside was rated 'Requires Improvement' in an inspection carried out in 2024 by the Care Quality Commission (CQC).

A spokesperson for Daleside Nursing Home said: "We Care Group takes all accusations and complaints extremely seriously, demonstrated by the fact our team held weekly meetings and lines of communication with Ms Clarke and her wider family members regarding Ms Parson's care.

"While Ms Clarke's report reads as distressing, Daleside Nursing Home was subject to a safeguarding investigation in early 2025 as a result of this complaint.

"However, following an extensive review by the Wirral safeguarding team, Ms Clarke's claims around inadequate care were not substantiated, and they have since drawn the matter to a close.

"All residents are provided with care plans tailored to individual requirements. While We Care Group won't disclose specifics of anyone's care plan, we can confirm that Ms Parson's meals were prepared to accommodate both medical and dietary needs."

Wirral Council were approached for comment.