A healthcare assistant working in a north Dublin nursing home described conditions there as “sh*t”, adding they would not place their mother there “even if it’s my last breath”, an investigation to be broadcast on RTÉ television on Wednesday shows.
The Beneavin House nursing home is one of two featured in an RTÉ Investigates programme where instances of alleged abuse and neglect of frail, elderly residents are shown.
The faces of residents and staff are blurred in the programme, though voices are audible.
Both Beneavin House and The Residence, Portlaoise, are operated by Emeis, the largest provider of private nursing home beds in the State.
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Following concerns by a whistleblower, RTÉ sent an undercover reporter to work in the featured homes, to conduct concealed filming over eight weeks, until April.
Emeis runs 27 nursing homes across the State, with more than 2,400 beds.
The programme includes distressing scenes of frail, older people, some of whom had dementia, allegedly being manhandled, “forced” down into chairs, being left in chairs for hours, being left in incontinence pads for so long their clothes were soaked, being ignored when they plead for help to go to the toilet and requests for simple activities like going for a walk being fobbed off.
Footage appears to show chronic staff shortages, undertrained staff as well as shortages of basic equipment such as incontinence pads, sterile wipes and latex gloves.
At The Residence, which can accommodate up to 101 residents and which costs €1,232 a week under the Fair Deal scheme, staff were told to restrict their use of incontinence pads, it is claimed.
Due to staff shortages 22 residents were left crowded in a day room for hours, it is alleged, a situation described as keeping them in a “holding area” and a “deprivation of liberty” by experts interviewed.
In an upsetting sequence at Beneavin House, which can accommodate up to 115 residents and costs €1,419 a week under the Fair Deal scheme, an elderly man was apparently forcibly directed into his bedroom and allegedly pushed down into a chair.
He is heard calling “help me, help me, help me” as the healthcare assistant says, “keep walking”. He protests, saying: “Stop making me. You don’t know me.”
After he is allegedly pushed into the chair, footage appears to show his trousers being pulled down and his incontinence pad being pulled from his groin area.
One healthcare assistant, filmed speaking to the undercover reporter, says: “I know you feel sorry and I feel sorry for everybody who are here. They don’t go out. The activities is sh*t. All this system is sh*t, you understand?
“But this is how it is, you know. Ours is just to do our job and go home ... I wouldn’t put my mother here, even if it’s my last breath.”
In a series of statements to RTÉ, Emeis Ireland said: “The evidence of poor care delivery, improper moving and handling of residents, and a lack of dignity and breaches of residents’ rights are deeply distressing.
“We have not and we do not tolerate any individual or systemic neglect or practices that compromise resident safety, rights or dignity.
“We are fully committed to doing everything in our power to ensure that these failings do not recur in our nursing homes.”
It said it had “launched a dedicated team to complete an in-depth review ... to immediately address” any identified failings.
According to RTÉ, Emeis a French-based company, has more than 1,000 facilities, including nursing homes, across 20 countries. Its revenue was more than €5.6 billion globally last year.
In a statement released on Wednesday, Emeis Ireland said it “apologises unequivocally to all residents and their families for the suffering and distress experienced as a result of failures identified in the care provided.
“We recognise and deeply regret the breach of trust that has occurred in relation to the service standards we promise, and for any failure to uphold the dignity of some residents at all times,” the company said.
“These lapses fall short of the values and standards we set for ourselves as an organisation.”
The company said it acknowledged the “serious issues raised” in relation to The Residence Portlaoise and Beneavin Manor.
“The findings are deeply distressing, wholly unjustifiable, and entirely unacceptable,” it said.
“We express our deep concern, as the wellbeing, dignity, and safety of residents in our care will always remain our foremost priority.”
