SINGAPORE - An Indonesian maid repeatedly assaulted an 89-year-old grandmother under her care but the elderly woman could not remember the incidents as she has a mild form of Alzheimer's disease.

Yesana Elizabeth Doliab, 30, poked Madam Mary Tan's left eye with her finger and pinched her between August and September last year. The offences only came to light when Madam Tan's granddaughter later noticed that the elderly woman had bloodshot eyes and bruises on her face.

Yesana was jailed for eight months on Tuesday (March 6) after pleading guilty to two counts of causing hurt to Madam Tan.

Deputy Public Prosecutor Derek Ee said the maid was working for the family for about a month in their Sengkang flat.

Her duties included changing Madam Tan's clothes as well as bathing and feeding her.

On Tuesday, Yesana admitted that she had pinched her on several occasions, including on her right breast, left hip and lower back between Aug 1 and Sept 15 last year.

DPP Ee said: "The accused did this because the victim had called her 'stupid' and had on some occasions gently pushed her head using her finger."

The court heard that Yesana was transferring Madam Tan from her wheelchair to her bed at around 10am on Sept 15 last year when the latter's pyjamas got caught in the assistive device .

Madam Tan then pulled the maid's hair and Yesana retaliated by poking the grandmother's left eye with her right index finger.

Madam Tan's granddaughter came home that evening and alerted the police after she noticed that the elderly woman had bloodshot eyes and facial bruises.

The grandmother was taken to Khoo Teck Puat Hospital the next day where she was found with multiple bruises all over her body.

For each count of causing hurt, Yesana could have been jailed for up to two years and fined.