Investigation into claim of elderly abuse at care facility

IN response to a viral video alleging that residents of an elderly home were abandoned, the manager is questioning why the neighbours who recorded it did not “jump the fence” if they were truly concerned.

On Thursday, a video was posted to Facebook showing an elderly man at the Trimming’s Golden Years Adult Day Care at School Drive, St Lucien Road in Diego Martin.

The man was pleading with passers-by to help him and the two other residents. One of the other patients is said to be bedridden and the other uses a wheelchair.

The man claimed he was there “alone, all by myself.”

He said he planned to call the police to come to his rescue.

One of the neighbours asked, “It have nobody there to take care of ya’ll right now?” He said no.

Another neighbour assured the man he would call the police on his behalf.

This resulted in a visit from the Minister of Social Development and Family Services Donna Cox, along with other representatives from the ministry, on Sunday morning.

Chatting with manager Shelly Ann Trimmingham, Cox learnt the home was not registered.

Cox told her, “We don’t want (that) at the end of the day, we didn’t reach out to you to find out what is happening.

Trimmingham said there was a nurse at the home who went out and spoke with the people who recorded the video.

“And they still put up the video,” she said.

“But even self if he tell ya’ll that it have nobody here, the same how if yuh so caring, yuh coulda jump the fence.”

But Cox told her they would have been trespassing, adding that an investigation will be started into the incident.

She then spoke to media, saying, “We had persons from the Division of Ageing. They spoke with the police, the persons at the home. Therefore, a report is imminent and an investigation is taking place.

“An allegation is just what it is – an allegation. So we are not sure if it is real or if it is not, especially when working with the elderly. Some persons may have dementia and so on. But we felt as if it was important that we investigate.”

Cox said the Health Ministry has been doing regular checks at elderly homes throughout the country, as they are most vulnerable and susceptible to the covid19 pandemic.

She said this situation was particularly close to home as she has an elderly mother in her care.

“I recognise that there are a lot of elderly persons out there who are not getting the required attention and treatment they should be getting. So, therefore, we will be ramping up our service to the elderly in TT.”

Section 19 of the Homes for Older Persons Act says, “The Division shall keep a register to be called the Register of Homes for Older Persons and shall enter the name of the licensee, name and address of the home, name of the manager, the population of each home and its classification.”