According to a report by Het Laatste Nieuws, a resident at the Eureka nursing home in Evere has been confined to her room for the last four years. The nursing home staff claims this decision was made because the resident was acting aggressively towards other residents and staff members. During an inspection in May 2022, a care and health inspector discovered the woman’s room was locked from the outside. The nursing home management defended their decision to confine her by citing her disruptive and aggressive behavior. The inspection report revealed that the resident was locked up day and night since April 2018, with occasional supervised outings. The report highlights that nursing homes are expected to provide residents and their families with the greatest possible freedom. However, the nursing home caretaker, Lore Soetemans, justified the resident’s confinement due to her Korsakoff syndrome, which causes severe memory loss, and the lack of psychiatric care available for her.
A resident of the Eureka nursing home in Evere has been locked in her room for four years, the daily Het Laatste Nieuws revealed on Wednesday. The staff of this nursing home justifies this decision by the fact that the resident would be aggressive towards the employees and the other residents.
In May 2022, a care and health inspector during an inspection found that one of the bedrooms in the residence was locked from the outside. The management then justified this confinement by indicating that the lady had a “disruptive and aggressive behavior towards other residents and staff”.
This woman has actually been locked up day and night since April 2018. She is allowed out occasionally but only under strict supervision.
The daily Het Laatste Nieuws managed to obtain the inspection report. In the latter it is written that “the resident watched television and calmly answered the questions asked of her”, which concerned the inspector regarding the welfare and safety of this lady.
Nursing homes welcome increasingly elderly and disoriented people
The conclusion of the inspection report is clear: the rules have not been respected since, according to the conditions of the Flemish Health Care Agency, a resident and his family must enjoy the greatest possible freedom in a nursing home. rest.
Lore Soetemans, the nurse in charge of the Eureka nursing home in Evere, however, justifies the reasons for the confinement of this resident. “She was 54 when she came to us. She suffered from a severe form of Korsakoff syndrome. (memory loss usually due to excessive and prolonged consumption of alcohol). His family looked for a place in psychiatry, but did not find one (…) At first everything went well, but following a few years she became more and more aggressive”.
The confinement of this resident for four long years is a sobering reminder of the importance of upholding the rights and freedoms of all individuals, particularly those who are vulnerable and in need of care. While the staff of the Eureka nursing home may have had valid concerns regarding the lady’s behavior, it is clear that locking her in her room for such an extended period of time was not an acceptable solution. As we continue to face the challenges of an aging population, it is essential that we prioritize the well-being and dignity of those who require long-term care, and ensure that they are treated with the compassion and respect they deserve. Let this case serve as a wake-up call for all those involved in the care of older adults, and a reminder that we must remain vigilant in our efforts to protect their rights and promote their welfare.
