The RTE nursing home program that caused a stir in Ireland yesterday is pointing fingers.. What now??
Ireland's national television station RTE yesterday aired an Investigates program detailing multiple examples of neglect of vulnerable elderly residents in two nursing homes.
The company, which owns two nursing homes that were subject to the RTE Investigates program, Emys Ireland, formerly known as Orpia, operates 27 nursing homes across the country since entering the Irish market in 2022.
The RTE programme showed multiple examples of care failures and neglect of vulnerable elderly residents in two areas run by Ames Ireland. The RTÉ programme highlighted poor behaviour and practices in two homes under the network's brand.
Two RTÉ researchers worked undercover in two different homes; one at The Residence in Port Leach and the other at Benevyn Manor in Glasnevin. The RTÉ researchers posed as healthcare assistants. The raw and horrifying footage they captured revealed a life of misery, with profound neglect, severe understaffing and poor treatment of vulnerable elderly residents.
Heartbreaking scenes show an elderly woman sitting on the toilet for a long time, distressed. The call bell was broken. A saw the resident wiping her hands on her skirt.
The documentary shows an elderly man in a wheelchair begging to use the toilet, but being ignored for 25 minutes. Instead of using the lift equipment, those who arrived later grabbed him by the clothes behind his back, pushed him into a chair, and pointed out the lack of trained staff.
Q2 employees were caught on camera talking about running out of basic incontinence pads and being forced to temporarily resort to alternative methods, a situation that is both realistic and surreal.
In another incident, a resident was asked to use an incontinence pad instead of being helped to go to the toilet. Sometimes, instead of a bed sheet, a mattress was made from the pad ,
The investigation revealed that vulnerable individuals were being lifted without proper hoisting equipment, which could have resulted in serious injuries to residents and staff. In one particularly harrowing scene, a vulnerable woman was seen being pulled up by her clothes, with one staff member heard coldly saying, “They’re not glass.”
The precarious care system in this area can lead to serious health problems for the elderly. The failure to provide basic facilities raises serious questions about the dignity and basic human rights of residents. It shows a lack of empathy and professional care.
The company has three facilities in Donegal. Beech Hill Manor in Fahan, Brentwood Manor in Convoy, and Brindley Manor in Convoy were not subject to the investigation.
There has been a call for a review of HIQA inspections following the revelation of undercover footage of the care of residents at two nursing homes.
New admissions at The Residence Portlaoise, which featured in the show, have been suspended. The nursing home chain, which was the focus of an RTE Investigative programme, has issued a "profound" apology to residents and their families.
The RTÉ report has not only caused widespread public concern, but has also reignited a heated national debate about the regulation and oversight of private care homes in Ireland. Advocacy groups such as Age Action Ireland and Nursing Homes Ireland (NHI) have condemned the findings. They have urged the government to take immediate and decisive action. There are growing calls for stronger, more frequent and unannounced inspections, mandatory provisions to increase staffing levels, and financial and operational transparency from private care providers.
Many of the homes involved in the investigation are part of the government's "Fair Deal scheme."
The scheme costs residents around €1,200 a week. It is a major government scheme that helps cover the high costs of nursing home care based on a person's income and assets. The revelations have called into question the effectiveness of the scheme and raised doubts about whether there are sufficient safeguards in place for those receiving government-subsidised care.
Families of residents across the country expressed deep anger, heartbreak and betrayal at this treatment of their loved ones, many of whom could not speak for themselves. Ireland is one of their most
The healthcare watchdog says further investigations will take place at The Residence Portlaoise and Beniwin Manor in Glasnevin, Dublin.
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