Members denounce that mistreatment continues at the Lar do Comércio

A group of associates of Lar do Comércio, in Matosinhos, revealed, this Friday, that the elderly living there continue to be targets of mistreatment, having denounced the case to the Social Security and Public Ministry that confirmed the opening of an inquiry

The home, the former president of the board and the former director of services are being tried for 67 crimes of mistreatment of the elderly for situations that occurred between January 2015 and February 2020, but, now reveals one of the partners, that "mistreatment never stopped happening".

Partner since 1977, Raúl Rodrigues is one of three signatories of the complaint sent to the Public Ministry (MP) where situations of neglect and mistreatment reported about a year ago to Social Security are reported.

According to Raúl Rodrigues, the signatories have met with the Social Security twice - once a year ago - already during the mandate of the new direction that took office in January 2021, and even in one of these appointments took as a witness an employee of the home that houses more than 100 residents, more than 40 bedridden or non-autonomous people.

The current president of the Home of Commerce took office in January 2021, four years after he resigned as vice president for not agreeing with "some things that were going on there.

So far, said the partner Raúl Rodrigues, they have no knowledge of any intervention by the Social Security, which is responsible for the homes.

Questioned by Lusa, Social Security has not yet issued any clarification.

In the complaint that was filed on February 24 in the Matosinhos Public Prosecutor's Office, the signatories and members of the institution allege that this "lack of conditions" has led several users to abandon the home.

"There are reports of residents who are being subjected to mistreatment reflected in the provision of food in small and smaller quantities, in medical treatment and poor medication, for lack of hiring technicians for this purpose, and the personal hygiene of residents and bedridden has been very poor," reads the missive.

In the document, supported also by photographic records, the members also denounce that there are users with "relevant bodily injuries resulting from the lack of hygiene towards these users.

"It is also visible [in the photos attached to the participation] the state of enormous despondency and deprivation of the elderly sitting with aprons serving as bibs, with empty plastic cups and without any protection and advice from someone. The room had no staff member to attend to any need that arose," they claim.

These photos, worry the signers of the complaint who point out that the Lar do Comércio "has the financial means to provide competent services of all kinds to users and residents," requesting that it is investigated, including the accounts of the institution that responds in a process where they are charged with identical charges.

Contacted by Lusa, the Attorney General of the Republic (PGR) confirmed that an investigation was opened which runs terms in the Department of Investigation and Prosecution (DIAP) of Matosinhos.

In the process that has already reached the trial stage, the former president of the board, the former director of services and the Private Institution of Social Solidarity (IPSS) itself are accused of 67 crimes of mistreatment, 17 of which aggravated by the result death. In the first trial session, on February 14, the three defendants remained silent.

In the indictment, the MP maintains that between January 2015 and February 2020, the defendants "violated the duties inherent to the positions they held", despite the institution having the financial means to do so, acting "with the awareness that the omission of care to users could cause them death, as came to pass with 17 of the users hospitalized there".

That year, the Lar do Comércio was even decontaminated by the Portuguese Army, and had more than 100 elderly infected with covid-19, 24 of whom ended up dying.

On October 19, 2020, a report by the Human Rights Commission of the Portuguese Bar Association (CDHOA) was released, according to which evidence of "serious violations" of human rights had been detected at Lar do Comércio and "repeated non-compliance" with guidelines received in inspections.

The private institution of social solidarity was founded on June 26, 1936 in Matosinhos, in the district of Porto.

Lusa questioned Lar do Comércio but has not yet received a response.