A grandfather with dementia who moved into a care home to give his doting wife a rest died in agony after twice falling while left alone by nurses.

Frederick Chadwick, 91, of Coulsdon, rapidly deteriorated following an operation on a broken hip suffered at Langley Oaks, in Selsdon, despite warnings to the home about another fall just days earlier.

His family had intended he would spend only two weeks at the home in October 2012 to give his exhausted wife Orquidea, 82, a rest from caring for him around the clock. But father-of-one Mr Chadwick never returned to his Chipstead Valley Road home.

He contracted pneuomia following the operation at Croydon University Hospital and died in December that year, with his family forced to watch his Alzheimer's Disease worsen devastatingly quickly in his final days.

The family finally received a five-figure payout from Care UK, which runs the home, this month after it admitted liability.

But Mr Chadwick's heartbroken daughter, Ana Rixon, 47, of Nutfield Road, said she would "never forgive" what happened.

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Care UK, which runs Langley Oaks, has apologised about Mr Chadwick's death

She said: "Nothing they could say or do or pay is worth my dad's life.

"It was just the most horrible death I've ever seen. He was in so much pain and, having Alzheimer's, didn't know where he was.

"All I did was put him in there for two weeks to give my mum a rest and he never came home."

Mr Chadwick, a retired service manager for appliance manufacturer Moulinex, first fell after being left alone in the toilet - despite his care plan stating his was prone to falling and should not be left - a week after being placed in the home.

He broke his wrist but returned to the home to wait for the injury to heal, but fell again identical circumstances a month later despite being warned by Croydon Council's safeguarding team about the first fall.

Mrs Rixon, who now cares full time for her mother, said: "All the carer said was she left Dad in there for his own dignity so he could go to the toilet, but he had Alzheimer's. They would change his underwear and wash him every day. It was just a simple thing, to take my dad to the toilet and stay with him.

"You'd think that they would be extra vigilant, but they went and did it again. He due to come home a week after that happened, so two weeks' respite turned into my dad's death.

"When I used to visit my dad he used to say, 'I don't like it here, they're not very nice.' I just thought it was the Alzheimer's but I wish to God I had marched him out there and taken him home.

She added: "Yes, he was 91 and had Alzheimer's but a lot of days he knew who I was and I could have a conversation with him. After the accident, he couldn't speak, didn't know how to eat or to drink.

"It was a very slow, horrible death. It was the most horrific death I've ever seen.

"Had be survived, he would have been bedridden, would have had to eat through a tube in his stomach, and would be sitting there not being able to communicate, like a vegetable."

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Frederick and Orquidea Chadwick with daughter Ana Rixon

Mrs Chadwick, said by her daughter to be "inseparable" from her husband, was still too distraught this week to speak about his death.

Mrs Rixon, a mother-of-one with two stepchildren, said: "Mum didn't want to put him in a care home because she's read these horror stories and seen the documentaries, but she was so tired we decided to do it.

"We picked Langley Oaks because the council said they were dementia specialists. We were let down really badly."

A Care UK spokesman said: "We offer our condolences to the family of Mr Chadwick, who passed away in hospital with pneumonia in December 2012.

"During his time at Langley Oaks, Mr Chadwick received assistance with moving around the home and with personal care. In November 2012 he experienced a fall at the home, which resulted in a fractured hip and being admitted to hospital for treatment.

"We conducted a thorough internal review and took appropriate action in line with our usual processes.

"We apologise for the care provided to Mr Chadwick falling below the standards residents deserve and want to reassure current residents and their families that Langley Oaks offers good standards of care.”

The case has been referred to the Care Quality Commission.