Images of unimaginable shame, abandonment, squalor and deplorable sanitary conditions were revealed in the centre of Athens, when a mixed team of authorities carried out a surprise raid on an apartment in Abelokipi, where an illegal nursing home was operating.
The operation at the apartment in Abelokipi had an intense police character and took place in the presence of a prosecutor, police officers of the Public Prosecution Service and officials of the Attica Region, following an urgent tip-off. The Region of Attica proceeded to the immediate suspension of the illegal nursing home.
Entering the apartment was not easy: a locksmith had to intervene, as the woman inside refused to open the door. When the authorities finally entered the premises, they were confronted with a disheartening picture. Four elderly women were living in separate rooms, in conditions that – as it turned out – did not ensure even a minimum of decent and safe living.
Smell suggestive of animals, intense filth in the kitchen, expired food, animal feed next to food for human consumption, bowls of frozen food of dubious quality. Four dogs and a cat were found in the same apartment, with the images intensifying the sense of abandonment. The animals were immediately removed with the assistance of the Municipality of Athens and a veterinarian.
Even more alarming was the data on the condition of the elderly. One of them was suffering from dementia with no recorded medication, while another was showing signs of malnutrition and dehydration. According to reports, two relatives refused to pick up their mothers, resulting in the immediate call of ambulances and their transfer to public hospitals, such as the Athens Elpis General Hospital and Evangelismos, while another elderly woman was evacuated by her relatives to the Athens Laiko Hospital.
According to what was learned, the tenant of the apartment lacked basic information: there were no identification documents for the guests, no organized record of medication, not even an approved diet. At the same time, it emerged that an elderly woman had been placed in the place through an advertisement, at a cost of 650 euros per month, while she allegedly claimed to be subletting rooms for just 50 euros.
Direct reaction from Nikos Chardalias
The reaction of the Region of Attica was immediate. On the orders of the Regional Governor Nikos Chardalias, social services were mobilized, while the assistance of the Voluntary Ministry of Patients of the Holy Archdiocese of Athens was requested from the beginning, in order to ensure the safe removal of the elderly. Social workers were on the scene, located relatives and coordinated the transportation of those in need of immediate care.
“Zero tolerance to those who play with the dignity and life of the elderly”, Nikos Chardalias asserted, clarifying that “those who exploit our vulnerable fellow citizens, it goes without saying that they will face the law”.
The case has already gone the way of the judiciary, while inspections are expected to intensify, with the aim of putting an end to irregular structures operating in the dark, putting human lives at risk.
Source: thecaller.gr
