–Board members lax on reports of theft, neglect

“A PRISON-like atmosphere” were the words used to describe the state of affairs at the National Veterans Rest Home at Lamaha Springs, North Ruimveldt.The Home, opened in 2011, houses some 11 retired officers from the joint services. Some of those residents are in wheelchairs or unable to walk.

A source close to the Home, who spoke on condition of anonymity, is calling for a change in administration, and a shift in the institution’s care-giving policy.

“Elderly people need care and compassion,” he said, adding that this is not the case at the home.

The facility is unnecessarily padlocked, and relatives of residents have been turned away at the gate for visiting outside of a very limited visitation period.

There is even a report of a high-profile religious leader being turned away at the gate, and residents have been stripped of their freedom to move.

RAMPANT THEFT
Theft remains a major concern for senior citizens of the Home who have fallen victim over the last two years. This was reported to the Home’s Board of Directors but with little satisfaction.

The residents, according to the source, have all pointed to a female care-giver who seems to be the common denominator whenever there is a reported theft.

Reports are that six bottles of cologne, a DVD player, and a lump-sum of $115,000 has gone missing from residents in separate incidents over the past two years.

That care-giver, the source said, has threatened the life of residents of the Home on numerous occasions, saying that she handles their food, and could “get rid of them”.

The very care-giver has worked at the Home for some three years, and, according to the source, was previously employed with the Georgetown Post-Master General’s Office, where she was allegedly dismissed on accusations of theft.

Residents are calling for the removal of the care-giver, but this seems far from reality, since the care-giver in question has found favour with the Home’s administration.

“She can’t do wrong in their eyes,” the source bemoaned.
The former administrator of the Home, Margaret Rose-Arthur, was removed from her post some time ago, because it was felt she was not carrying the programme well.

Rose-Arthur was reportedly close with the female care-giver, even while reports were being made against that care-giver.

HIGHLY FAVOURED
And although the Board had removed Rose-Arthur for matters presumably related to the complaints by residents, the care-giver remains employed.

Rose-Arthur, a retired officer of the Guyana Defence Force (GDF), has served as the Home’s Administrator since it was opened in 2011 by then President Bharrat Jagdeo.

That position is still to be filled, but according to our source, residents of the Home were previously threatened with eviction by the administration, especially in cases where persons protested the conditions at the Home.

The source painted a grim nexus between the conditions at the Home and the psychological well-being of the elderly persons housed there.
“Residents could give up living, because they feel there is no purpose in life,” the source said.

There are currently no recreational activities at the Home, and residents would simply retire to their beds after breakfast, because there is nothing else to do.

“When you lie down in your bed, you do so with the thought that death will come one day,” the source said solemnly.

POLICY REVIEW
The source said there is need for a rethinking of how the elderly is catered for all across the country, and that policy should not be limited to senior citizens’ homes controlled by the State.

“There is tremendous neglect of the elderly in this country,” the source added.

They complained of meals which are not conducive to the expected diet of an elderly person, whose body can no longer handle foods high in protein, carbohydrates, and sugar.

The source is calling for the Social Protection Ministry to become involved in the day-to-day affairs of the Home, and to look into a planned recreational programme.

Social Protection Minister Volda Lawrence, in the wake of the deadly Drop-In Centre fire which claimed the lives of two children, plugged the need for more attention to be given to senior citizens homes controlled by the State.

This is especially needed in the area of fire prevention, and safety protocols to prevent deaths in the event of a fire. Persons with impaired mobility are extremely vulnerable in the event of a fire.

The source is calling for a reorganization of the administration of the home, with a Board that is responsive to the needs of the elderly.