Latest news with #ElisabethNicholls
RNZ News
28-06-2025
- RNZ News
Elisabeth Nicholls not the first dementia patient rest homes have lost this year
Amy Vercoe. Photo: Miles Vercoe / supplied A man whose wife went missing from a rest home while in respite care for dementia last month is horrified to learn of Christchurch woman Elisabeth Nicholls' death . Miles Vercoe said his wife Amy Vercoe disappeared from the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village in Auckland on 10 May after wandering out of a fire escape door and walking for hours, before being found safe by police. Nicholls, 79, had dementia and vanished from Ryman's Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village in Christchurch on 4 June, hours after being admitted for respite care . She was found dead at an abandoned property on Gracefield Avenue in the central city last Sunday - just 250m from her home. Ryman said it was "terribly saddened" by the news and would work with Health NZ to look into what happened. Vercoe, speaking out after hearing about Nicholls' death, said his wife could have suffered the same fate had she not been found. Elisabeth Nicholls. Photo: Supplied / NZ police "That was an entirely possible outcome of her running away because she has Alzheimer's, she wouldn't know how to get home, how to get back to where she was, and it was late and cold. It was the consequence I was so scared of that night." Vercoe said his wife was diagnosed with Alzheimer's three-and-a-half-years ago. On 5 May she was admitted for respite care at the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village for what was supposed to be a week, to give him a break as her sole caregiver at their home. On her fifth night there he said he got a call from staff about 6pm saying they could not find her. "I told them to call the police. The village is in Stonefields, we live in Ōrākei, she was found in Parnell like three to four hours later, she'd walked. She's still pretty strong and fit. "She must've been walking that whole time, the distance she got and the time. She was just on a pair of sandals, she hurt her feet, she was sore for a few days, but other than that no lasting damage, compared to poor Mrs Nicholls." His wife left the rest home via a fire escape door across the hall from her room, he said. He brought her back home that night. "By the time I got her out of there I just thought, 'Oh, that's me done with them,'" he said. Vercoe said the situation was unacceptable and he lodged a complaint with the Health and Disability Commissioner. A letter the Edmund Hillary Retirement Village sent Vercoe on 25 June, following an investigation, said the village had been given incorrect information by the local Health NZ Needs Assessment and Service Coordination (NASC) team about the level of care Amy Vercoe required . NASC confirmed she needed rest home-level care on 16 April, the letter said - not dementia-level. "On 16 June, as part of this investigation, our team contacted the NASC team to reconfirm the assessment information regarding Mrs Vercoe's required level of care, which we had received before admission in April. The NASC team confirmed Mrs Vercoe's assessment for rest home-level of care," the letter said. "Later that day, a second email from NASC indicated that Mental Health Services assessed Mrs Vercoe for Older People in March this year, and this assessment recommended that she receive dementia-level of care. I note that this information was not provided to our team before this date." The rest home said having no knowledge of Amy Vercoe's dementia assessment, it was not aware of any need for her to be cared for in its special care unit. "Had we been aware of this, we could have completed the necessary paperwork and admitted Mrs Vercoe, with your agreement, into our Secure Dementia Unit, which would have prevented her from leaving the unit and then the village," the letter said. "As a rest home resident, we respect residents' rights to maintain their independence, and we cannot guarantee that a resident in a rest home unit won't choose to leave via any exit should they wish to. Our review found that the fire escape operated as required. Furthermore, we implemented the proper care strategies for Mrs Vercoe as a rest home resident." Vercoe was under the impression the rest home knew his wife had dementia. "[The rest home] did know that she had dementia because I told them. I had a phone conversation with a nurse and then I had about a half hour pre-admission interview, and then I probably had another 20 minutes with her then on the day of admission. Different people every time I think but I was clear to them verbally, we discussed her condition. "This was after Health NZ had assessed her as having dementia and then a suitable candidate for this type of rest home care. She clearly wasn't suitable to be in that place but I didn't know that, I don't know the ins and outs of what facilities they have, but she was assessed as having stage 5 dementia, not being able to cope and also being eligible for the subsidy for respite care because I'm her sole caregiver." The letter to Vercoe said on 15 April during his initial walk-through of the village a unit coordinator discussed his wife's requirements with him, and Vercoe confirmed she did not wander away from home. "The question they didn't ask me is what would the consequences of her running away be, and the answer would be it could be potentially quite severe if she wasn't caught quickly," Vercoe said. "Maybe there was a communication breakdown between them and the health department, but that's not enough of an excuse in my opinion for them to not know she had dementia, because I told them." Photo: RNZ / Nate McKinnon Ryman did not comment on Vercoe's specific case, but said if the company received a referral for dementia-level care, the patient would always be placed in secure, specialist dementia care. "Outside of independent retirement living, Ryman offers three levels of care: rest home, hospital, and specialist dementia care. These three levels are offered at Edmund Hillary village," a Ryman spokesperson said. "While our rest homes are supported by 24-hour staffing, rest home level care is not a secure level of care and residents have the independence and freedom to come and go from the unit. "The initial referral for a new respite resident comes from the local division of Health New Zealand who assess their needs, and our contracts with them sets out the level of care to be provided." Ryman did not answer RNZ's question of how many cases there had been in the last year of dementia patients in respite care wandering out of the premises and needing to be searched for. Ryman previously said the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village, where Elisabeth Nicholls was referred, was not a dementia care facility. Nicholls arrived at the village on the morning of 4 June and was last seen at 6.01pm. "At 6.20pm, team members at the village became aware that Elisabeth may have chosen to leave, on what was her first night at the village, and immediately commenced a search of the premise," Ryman said. "A village search was undertaken including a search of each room, shared space and the rest home grounds, followed by contacting next of kin. As is standard protocol, if a resident is still unable to be located following this process, we then contact police." Following her disappearance, police and Land Search and Rescue volunteers scoured areas of the city to find Nicholls. Pleas were made for the public to check their backyards and anywhere she might have taken refuge. In a statement, Nicholls' family said they were very saddened and relieved she had been found. Nicholls' husband of nearly 60 years Gary Nicholls had described her as an adored wife, mother, grandmother, friend and colleague, who had always put other people first. Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu regional commissioner Chiquita Hansen said the agency acknowledged the past few weeks had been a distressing time for Nicholls' loved ones. "We will work with Ryman to look into what happened, which is standard practice, but for now our priority is working with Police and family at this difficult time," she said. The death will be referred to the coroner. RNZ has approached Health NZ for comment on Vercoe's case. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero, a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
23-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Property where Elisabeth 'Lis' Nicholls found had been empty for years
Flowers and candles laid on the driveway of a property on Gracefield Avenue, where police found a body believed to be that of Elisabeth Nicholls. Photo: RNZ / Anna Sargent Christchurch police have confirmed a body found at a property in the central city on Sunday is missing woman Elisabeth Nicholls. The 79 year old, who suffered from dementia, walked out of the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village in Riccarton on the evening of 4 June, only hours after being admitted for respite care. On Sunday, Nicholls' body was discovered by police in Gracefield Avenue, just 250 metres from her home. She was formally identified on Monday. Gracefield Ave residents told RNZ they were shocked. Mora Dickson, who lived a few doors down from where Nicholls was found, said people had not been out and about much because of the cold weather. "It's a surprise. I wish I'd seen something," she said. She said the property Nicholls was found at had been empty for years. The Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village was run by Ryman Healthcare. In a statement, Ryman chief operating officer Marsha Cadman said the company was supporting its residents and team members in the village and continuing to liaise with police. "Ryman, along with our Margaret Stoddart Village team, are terribly saddened by the news that a body has been found in the search for Elisabeth Nicholls. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Elisabeth's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time," she said. The company would work with Health NZ to look into what happened, a Ryman spokesperson said Elisabeth Nicholls. Photo: Supplied Nicholls was referred to the village for respite care by Health NZ. "Our contracts with them set out the level of care to be provided. Margaret Stoddart Village provides only rest home level care, whereby residents are able to come and go independently. This is not a dementia care facility," the spokesperson said. In a statement, Health New Zealand Te Waipounamu regional commissioner Chiquita Hansen said the agency acknowledged the past few weeks had been a distressing time for Nicholls' loved ones. "We will work with Ryman to look into what happened, which is standard practice, but for now our priority is working with Police and family at this difficult time," she said. Nicholls arrived at the retirement village on the morning of 4 June and was last seen at 6.01pm. "At 6.20pm, team members at the village became aware that Elisabeth may have chosen to leave, on what was her first night at the village, and immediately commenced a search of the premise," Ryman said. "A village search was undertaken including a search of each room, shared space and the rest home grounds, followed by contacting next of kin. As is standard protocol, if a resident is still unable to be located following this process, we then contact police." The last confirmed sighting of Nicholls was over an hour later at the Chateau on the Park Hotel in Riccarton, about 500 metres from the retirement village. Following her disappearance, police and Land Search and Rescue volunteers scoured areas of the city to find Nicholls. Pleas were made for the public to check their backyards and anywhere she might have taken refuge. In a statement, Nicholls' family said they were very saddened and relieved she had been found on Sunday. The family was very grateful for everyone's efforts in looking for her, particularly police and members of the Christchurch public. Detective Sergeant Luke Vaughan said on Sunday he hoped the discovery would help provide some closure for her family and loved ones. The death would be referred to the coroner.
RNZ News
23-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Elisabeth Nicholls vanished from retirement village hours after being admitted
Elisabeth Nicholls. Photo: Supplied / NZ police The retirement village where Christchurch woman Elisabeth Nicholls disappeared from says it's "terribly saddened" by the news police searching for her have found a body . The 79-year-old, who suffered from dementia, walked out of the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village in Riccarton on the evening of 4 June, only hours after being admitted for respite care. On Sunday, police found a body believed to be that of Nicholls in the Gracefield Avenue area, only two kilometres from where she went missing. The Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village was run by Ryman Healthcare. In a statement, Ryman's chief operating officer Marsha Cadman said the company was supporting its residents and team members in the village and continuing to liaise with police. "Ryman, along with our Margaret Stoddart Village team, are "terribly saddened" by the news that a body has been found in the search for Elisabeth Nicholls. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Elisabeth's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time," she said. The company would work with Health NZ to look into what happened, a Ryman spokesperson said. Nicholls was referred to the village for respite care by Health NZ. "Our contracts with them set out the level of care to be provided. Margaret Stoddart Village provides only rest home level care, whereby residents are able to come and go independently. This is not a dementia care facility," the spokesperson said. Nicholls arrived at the retirement village on the morning of 4 June and was last seen at 6.01pm. "At 6.20pm, team members at the village became aware that Elisabeth may have chosen to leave, on what was her first night at the village, and immediately commenced a search of the premise," Ryman said. "A village search was undertaken including a search of each room, shared space and the rest home grounds, followed by contacting next of kin. As is standard protocol, if a resident is still unable to be located following this process, we then contact police." The last confirmed sighting of Nicholls was over an hour later at the Chateau on the Park Hotel in Riccarton, about 500 metres from the retirement village. Following her disappearance, police and Land Search and Rescue volunteers scoured areas of the city to find Nicholls. Pleas were made for the public to check their backyards and anywhere she might have taken refuge. In a statement, Nicholls' family said they were very saddened and relieved she had been found on Sunday. The family was very grateful for everyone's efforts in looking for her, particularly police and members of the Christchurch public. Detective Sergeant Luke Vaughan said on Sunday he hoped the discovery would help provide some closure for her family and loved ones. Formal identification is yet to take place. The death will be referred to the coroner. RNZ approached Health NZ for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
23-06-2025
- Health
- RNZ News
Elisabeth Nicholls vanished from retirement village hours being admitted
Elisabeth Nicholls. Photo: Supplied / NZ police The retirement village where Christchurch woman Elisabeth Nicholls disappeared from says it's "terribly saddened" by the news police searching for her have found a body . The 79-year-old, who suffered from dementia, walked out of the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village in Riccarton on the evening of 4 June, only hours after being admitted for respite care. On Sunday, police found a body believed to be that of Nicholls in the Gracefield Avenue area, only two kilometres from where she went missing. The Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village was run by Ryman Healthcare. In a statement, Ryman's chief operating officer Marsha Cadman said the company was supporting its residents and team members in the village and continuing to liaise with police. "Ryman, along with our Margaret Stoddart Village team, are "terribly saddened" by the news that a body has been found in the search for Elisabeth Nicholls. Our thoughts and deepest condolences go out to Elisabeth's family and friends at this incredibly difficult time," she said. The company would work with Health NZ to look into what happened, a Ryman spokesperson said. Nicholls was referred to the village for respite care by Health NZ. "Our contracts with them set out the level of care to be provided. Margaret Stoddart Village provides only rest home level care, whereby residents are able to come and go independently. This is not a dementia care facility," the spokesperson said. Nicholls arrived at the retirement village on the morning of 4 June and was last seen at 6.01pm. "At 6.20pm, team members at the village became aware that Elisabeth may have chosen to leave, on what was her first night at the village, and immediately commenced a search of the premise," Ryman said. "A village search was undertaken including a search of each room, shared space and the rest home grounds, followed by contacting next of kin. As is standard protocol, if a resident is still unable to be located following this process, we then contact police." The last confirmed sighting of Nicholls was over an hour later at the Chateau on the Park Hotel in Riccarton, about 500 metres from the retirement village. Following her disappearance, police and Land Search and Rescue volunteers scoured areas of the city to find Nicholls. Pleas were made for the public to check their backyards and anywhere she might have taken refuge. In a statement, Nicholls' family said they were very saddened and relieved she had been found on Sunday. The family was very grateful for everyone's efforts in looking for her, particularly police and members of the Christchurch public. Detective Sergeant Luke Vaughan said on Sunday he hoped the discovery would help provide some closure for her family and loved ones. Formal identification is yet to take place. The death will be referred to the coroner. RNZ approached Health NZ for comment. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
RNZ News
22-06-2025
- RNZ News
Body found in search of missing Christchurch woman Elisabeth 'Lis' Nicholls
The 79-year old called Elisabeth was last seen on Barlett Street in Riccarton. Photo: Supplied Police have found a body believed to be of Elisabeth Nicholls, who was also known as 'Lis'. The body was found in a property in central Christchurch's Gracefield Avenue area at 1pm Sunday. Detective Sergeant Luke Vaughan said formal identification was yet to take place, but believed it was the 79-year-old, who was reported missing from the suburb of Riccarton on 4 June. Nicholls suffered from dementia and disappeared after walking out of the Margaret Stoddart Retirement Village. She had been admitted to the facility for respite care on the same day she disappeared. Canterbury Police - along with Land Search and Rescue volunteers - had scoured areas in the city to locate Elisabeth. The last confirmed sighting of her was at the Chateau on the Park in Riccarton at 7.54pm the same day. Vaughan hoped the discovery would help provide some closure for her family and loved ones. He said his thoughts were with them at this incredibly difficult time and thanked everyone who helped in the search for their efforts. In a statement, Nicholls' family said they were very saddened and relieved Lis had been found. They said they were very grateful for everyone's efforts looking for her, particularly the police and so many members of the Christchurch public. The death will be referred to the coroner. Sign up for Ngā Pitopito Kōrero , a daily newsletter curated by our editors and delivered straight to your inbox every weekday.
