Elderly home residents set to get a say in decisions

New standards for elderly people’s homes are to be launched next month, with an emphasis placed on infection control and giving a say to residents and relatives in any decisions that concern them.

Outbreaks of novel coronavirus have so far led to 15 deaths among the 4,000 elderly people residing in 38 private, Church and state care facilities. Together, they employ 3,000 workers.

The homes have been regulated by the Social Care Standards Authority since it was set up in 2018.

Among the changes will be mandatory consultation with residents and relatives on anything from nutrition to treatment, the authority’s CEO, Matthew Vella, said.

This was an issue raised by several relatives during public consultation in July, he said.

In some instances, relatives were not informed about any decisions whatsoever involving their family members.

On the flip side, however, some families were reluctant to visit relatives even when the home called to inform them that they were dying, Vella said.

In fact, the standards will be accompanied by a campaign to explain not only rights but duties.

Relatives could not forget their family members in a home, Vella said, pointing out that some elderly could have five children with not even one visiting them.

In some cases, this was also because their parents had deteriorated so much that it was too painful for them to experience.

And, in view of this, the new standards will “empower” homes to provide professional psychological services for relatives of residents who have dementia or are in a poor state of health.

Relatives cannot forget their family members in a home

Following an initial snapshot of the elderly sector, the authority’s drive to develop social regulatory standards was stalled by the pandemic, which put paid to public consultations.

At the time, 22 of the homes – 65 per cent of all staff – entered voluntary live-in arrangements, Vella said.

Acknowledging this was not the case during the second wave, when COVID-19 outbreaks erupted in homes, he also recognised the huge – and largely ignored – sacrifices carers had made to leave their families for three-week stretches, only to return home for a week before moving out again.

Four homes experienced an outbreak, with Residenza San Ġużepp and Casa Antonia losing nine and five residents to COVID-19 respectively, sparking an investigation by the authority into possible shortcomings.

San Ġużepp, in Fgura, currently only has a handful of cases, down from nearly half the 278 residents.

Evidence is being collected and discussions with family, residents and workers have been underway, Vella said.

If wrongdoing is found, the authority has the power to issue fines that can run into tens of thousands of euros.

It can also refer cases to the police. In fact, it has passed on three for investigation into possible neglect and physical abuse since it started operating.

Since January, the authority has carried out 1,000 inspections in the 38 homes, as well as regulating another 340 social services, Vella said.

Among the authority’s planned reforms, it will impose the right prerequisites for those managing social services, including elderly home managers.

The reforms will also divide homes according to the level of dependency of residents, distinguishing between residential, nursing and, in the case of Saint Vincent de Paul, high-chronic facilities.

Different staffing ratios would be required.