Most systems at the Cospicua Home for the Elderly require a massive overhaul, particularly mechanical, electrical and extra low-voltage equipment, according to reports tabled in parliament on Wednesday. 

The government last month announced it would be closing down the home for “extensive” works, prompting an outcry and protests from several residents and staff. 

But Active Ageing Minister Jo Etienne Abela earlier this month told Times of Malta that parts of the home need to be rebuilt due to substandard concrete, that was not even good enough for pavements.   

Answering questions in parliament on Wednesday, the minister tabled a number of reports that show the dire condition of sections of the building as well as the state of disrepair of critical systems that are required to keep the home in good functioning order. 

According to an engineer’s report in 2021, most of the systems in the building were installed during the home's construction (in the late 1990s), with many nearing the end of their life. 

“A plan has to be devised to replace these systems in the very near future,” the engineer had written, noting “non-existent” fire systems and urging action to bring the building in line with modern standards of fire safety, ventilation and lighting. 

Most of the other systems, namely plumbing, drainage, lifts, data network, kitchen and laundry, electrical power and lighting were constantly in need of repair, the reports say, and required a “complete overhaul”. 

Diesel boilers for hot water

Other shortcomings listed in the reports include the use of two diesel boilers to provide the building with hot water rather than energy-efficient heat pumps, a power generator that has no auto changeover and must be manually switched over during a power cut, fire pumps that are unoperational due to the “dire state” of the pipe network, an obsolete CCTV system - with the supplier advising the home to stop calling for repairs and a vacuum pump that had never been used because there wasn’t a pipe network for it. 

Photo: Chris Sant Fournier

A separate report found that the state of the concrete of a number of balconies was not up to par, with sections crumbling due to a lack of reinforcement. 

“Basically, where large pieces of the concrete fell off it was because there was no reinforcement steel to hold it in place,” the report says. 

“The most serious concern is the strength of the concrete. It was found that in some areas the concrete was very easily removed and was definitely below expected standards.”

Subsequently, a company was commissioned to take core samples to test the strength of the concrete, concluding that the strength range of the material was “unacceptable”. 

The state of the concrete was so poor that two of the six samples could not even be tested because they “could not withstand the coring operation”.

Shabbiness

A third report compiled by the Social Care Standards Authority following an unannounced visit to the home found that it was “very shabby and requires complete refurbishment”. 

The SCSA officers observed mould throughout the home but particularly on the fifth floor. The floor in question also had water seepage from the ceiling, which could lead to “dangerous incidents and safety hazards.” 

The inspectors found that the floor of the home was “sticky and dusty” and that general cleanliness “was not at an optimal level”. The officers observed filth such as floors requiring a deep clean, discarded tissues on the floor and a window ledge that was covered with waste.

The Cospicua care home underwent a standards assessment just a few years ago, with the government having invested €292,000 to install air conditioning chillers at the home in 2021.