News Report:
An investigation by BBC Africa Eye has exposed distressing mistreatment and neglect of vulnerable residents at the Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) Thogoto Care Home for the Aged, located near Nairobi, Kenya. Undercover footage captured staff physically abusing elderly residents, leaving medical conditions untreated, and providing inadequate care. The footage shows an elderly woman being caned on her buttocks by staff, sparking outrage over the care home’s treatment of its residents.
The care home, originally set up by the Women’s Guild of the PCEA church but now independently managed, houses approximately 50 elderly women and men. The increase in the elderly population in Africa, projected to triple over the next 30 years, emphasizes the growing need for proper care facilities for the elderly.
BBC Africa Eye’s undercover reporters spent 14 weeks secretly filming inside the care home, revealing troubling scenes of abuse and neglect. Staff members were recorded admitting to physically abusing residents, while one elderly man’s serious skin condition was left untreated for weeks before receiving medical attention.
The care home manager, Jane Gaturu, denied allegations of negligence and mistreatment, stating that the facility relies on donations and external medical care. However, the undercover investigation has drawn attention to the need for better regulation and oversight of elderly care homes in Kenya, prompting government officials to promise investigations and action against facilities found in violation of care standards.
Source: BBC
