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20 home care workers sacked down – care recipient half naked, denied toilet and no medications
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After weeks of speculation, Uddevalla municipality now confirms that the reason why some 20 night employees in the home care service were sacked is that they have been seriously mismanaged and disregarded their duties. The investigation shows serious neglect that has suffered the elderly – and the case highlights a growing national problem of staff supply in elderly care.

When the municipality decided this summer to shut down the entire night group within the home service, the details were kept secret. Now it emerges that the suspended employees in several cases grossly disregarded their duties.

According to deviation reports that the municipality has received, the elderly have been left half-naked in their wheelchairs all night, denied help to go to the toilet or change incontinence protection and had their medicines delayed or missed completely.

READ MORE: Home care service in Uddevalla shuts down 20 employees after evaluation

A caretaker tells us that an employee in an abusive way put his head between his legs while a colleague laughed at the moment. In other cases, ambulances have not been called despite needs.

“You get appalled, angry, desperate, angry. This should not happen at all, says Ann-Charlotte Gustafsson (Uddevallapartiet), chairman of the social welfare committee, in a comment on TV4.
Long-term problems – “not just this term of office”

At a press conference, the municipal management admitted that the misconduct was likely to last for a long time.

“It has come to light that it has not only during this term, but it is the longer time that this has occurred,” Gustafsson says, stressing that responsibility extends over several years.
Picture: Pixabay.

Social Director Malin Normann defends the decision to suspend the entire task force:

“We are aware that it is a very intervention decision. But based on the information I have and what I know, I judge that this is absolutely necessary.
Control deficiencies at night

According to the union Kommunal, one explanation may be that the night shifts had inadequate work management – the managers must primarily have worked during the day and rarely been out in the business at night.

READ ALSO: Interpreter needs-syrians got jobs in aged care: Sneak filmed naked and deceased poked in the eye

Normann, however, does not want to confirm this until the investigation is complete. She says the investigation is allowed to show whether or not there have been managers in place. It's not something the responsible social worker knows. Why staff should not be able to perform basic tasks without managers' constant guidance is not clear.
National crisis in elderly care

Uddevallafallet is far from unique. Around Sweden, there are recurring reports of deficiencies in elderly care – from understaffing to serious malpractice.

Many municipalities find it difficult to recruit trained staff who have mastered the Swedish language well enough to be able to communicate with colleagues and care recipients. This increases the risk of misunderstanding and patient safety problems.

READ ALSO: 79-year-old Eva served cat food by home care: 'Language difficulties'

In a high-profile case in Uddevalla, an elderly woman was served cat food for breakfast – something that was explained by the staff’s language difficulties.
The investigation continues

The suspended employees will receive a salary until further notice while the municipality continues to investigate the events. Police report is currently not current but may be if new information emerges.

The extent to which the users/careers have been injured and the activity is mismanaged, Malin Normann is also something that the investigation may provide answers to.