Residents of the Marina Palace home for the elderly in Msida are being relocated to other homes after the authorities ordered its closure due to substandard conditions.

Sources said the relocation process was ordered by the Social Care Standards Authority and the Active Ageing and Community Care Department. The relocation plan was concluded over the past few days and the elderly residents are currently in the process of being relocated.

There are around 25 residents at present and the relocation will be concluded within a few days, a spokesperson for the Active Aging Ministry told Times of Malta when contacted.

Sources said the home was operational despite having its licence withdrawn in February last year. It is not known why it took the authorities so long to intervene.  

The spokesman stressed that the ministry is insisting that the elderly are kept in the best conditions and also confirmed that the government did not have any agreement with this private home. He said that standards must be maintained by all and that the authorities are acting wherever necessary.

The relocation was first flagged by newsbook.com.mt which quoted relatives of elderly residents saying that the conditions of the home were “unacceptable”.

They said that some toilets were out of order, while the ceilings are covered in mould. They also spoke about the lack of hygiene with linen and clothes not having been washed for a long time, despite the residents paying for their stay.