The Vice President of the Living Care Association, responsible for managing Lar da Bela Vista in Funchal, admitted today that those living in the home were given baths via a kettle of hot water but assured that hygiene standards had been met.
In a parliamentary hearing at the Permanent Commission for Social Inclusion and Youth of the Legislative Assembly of Madeira, requested by the PS, Andreia Teixeira said that baths were provided to residents using kettles, as the boiler had broken down.
“We always use hot water,” she said, reinforcing that “there have never been cold water baths.”
Questioned by journalists after the hearing, the official indicated that the situation was resolved on Monday, after “a few months” of kettle baths.
Before the deputies, Andreia Teixeira assured that “all care and hygiene needs were met,” further stressing that the institution has sufficient human resources to provide the necessary care to those living at the home.
Lar da Bela Vista, whose building is in a visible state of degradation, has been the target of several criticisms and public complaints related to alleged poor operating conditions and assistance, especially since the management moved from the public sphere to the private sector in 2023.
Questioned by the deputies, Andreia Teixeira refuted that there are delays in the provision of meals, although, she admits some “punctual failures.” She denied that residents had been given out-of-date medicines as cited by PS deputy Marta Freitas.
“I think it’s a little unlikely given that we are receiving the medication every week,” she declared, stressing, that the home has already been complying “for a few months” with the ratio of employees to residents.”
“We do not have a shortage of staff at the moment,” assured the Vice-President of the Living Care Association, reinforcing: “At no time did we stop our activities or support.”
Andreia Teixeira also said that no complaints have been registered in the complaints book, so far, accepting that two complaints were made directly to the Social Security Institute of Madeira.
Her statement was then refuted by JPP deputy Miguel Ganança, who said that in January this year, the institution still did not have a complaints book and was waiting for one to be sent.
Andreia Teixeira also acknowledged that the building shows signs of degradation and pointed out that the management model imposed by the Social Security Institute of Madeira “often does not help to make a better one or to apply a better model.”
According to Andreia Teixeira, an application was submitted under the Recovery and Resilience Plan (PRR) to requalify the building, and if it is not feasible, due to the deadlines imposed by the PRR, “a plan B” will have to be found to carry out the requalification works.
The Permanent Commission for Social Inclusion and Youth will also hear the outgoing administrator of Lar da Bela Vista, Tony Saramago, the Regional Secretary for Inclusion and Youth, Ana Sousa, and the President of the Social Security Institute of Madeira, Micaela Freitas.
The Lar da Bela Vista, located in the east of Funchal, was built in the 70s to be a hotel, but it was never used as such and ended up being adapted to become a publicly managed nursing home.
Samantha Gannon
info at madeira-weekly.com
