Hit a Pensioner in the Face at Nursing Home – Now Assistant Nurse Faces Charges

An elderly man ended up on the floor during a failed transfer. Seconds later, an assistant nurse allegedly struck him several times in the face. The woman is now being prosecuted for assault—at the same time as Vilhelmsrogården is already at the center of a deep care crisis with over a hundred Lex Sarah reports, recurring alarms about abuse, and serious deficiencies in residents’ safety.

What was supposed to be a routine care task at Vilhelmsrogården nursing home in September 2025 turned into an incident now being tried in court. The incident, which has led to legal proceedings, concerns an elderly man who was to be moved by two staff members.

According to the municipality’s own investigation, the effort went wrong when the man’s legs gave way and he fell to the floor. He remained lying on his back while staff continued to help him.

In the tense situation, the man became upset and spat at the staff. When a colleague left the room to wash up and then returned, she reportedly saw the assistant nurse hitting the elderly man in the face—according to the prosecutor, between three and five slaps to someone unable to defend himself.

“I have done nothing wrong”

The accused woman denies any wrongdoing. She claims that what was perceived as blows was in fact her raising her hand to protect herself from being spat on. In other statements, she also said she does not know how to give slaps and that someone wants to harm her.

The man involved has since passed away, but according to the prosecutor, not as a result of the incident. His death, however, means that he could never be heard during the investigation, making witness testimonies central to the case.

Had to leave the job

The assistant nurse no longer works at the facility. According to reports, she was told to choose between resigning or being dismissed.

She had worked a long time in elderly care, with several positions within the municipality. After her time at Vilhelmsrogården, she got work at another care home, but that employment ended when the police investigation became known.

A facility in deep crisis

The suspected violence is not an isolated incident. On the contrary, it is one of a total of 118 Lex Sarah cases reported over two years in the operation.

Lex Sarah is used when abuses or risks of abuses in care need to be reported. The large number of reports reveals extensive and recurring problems.

Jönköping municipality itself has pointed to several causes behind the crisis—rapid moves into care homes, high staff turnover, lack of competence, high absenteeism, unstable work groups, and shortcomings in values and conduct. The municipal leadership has described the situation as a failure in their mission to ensure safety for the elderly.

Previous warnings – abuse and ignored alarms

The facility has previously been subject to severe criticism. In autumn 2024, several Lex Sarah reports were filed regarding elderly being abused in care. In one high-profile case, a care recipient reportedly had to sit more or less naked on a portable toilet while eating breakfast.

The municipality has also stated that staff, on other occasions, chose not to respond to alarms from residents—something that further cemented the picture of an organization with serious shortcomings in care and respect.

Legal consequences await

A trial against the former assistant nurse now awaits. The charge is assault of normal severity, a crime that can bring up to two years in prison. The court is expected to particularly weigh the man’s vulnerable situation—old age, cognitive impairment, and limited ability to defend himself.