At an Elderly Home in San Martín, senior citizens are well taken care of, but there are flaws to solve
In 2014, it housed and assisted 240 elderly adults. However, the AGCBA detected that there was only one psychiatrist who visited the morning shift, the pharmacy manager was a radiologist, and the gerontological staff was insufficient and not trained. The food had more hydrates and less protein than planned. Security was another weakness.
A report from the General Audit Office of the City of Buenos Aires (AGCBA, for its acronym in Spanish) points out that "the greatest strength" of the San Martín home "is the work carried out by the staff." Making "residents feel cared for and contained" despite the "lack of resources" that "must be corrected" by the responsible authorities.
Home San Martín is part of the Permanent Resident Home Program for Older Adults that has four more centers, such as Martín Rodríguez and Raimondi, and assists grandparents who "require institutionalization due to their social or psychophysical condition."
In addition to accommodation, the center offers food, medical care, dentistry, kinesiology, and psychology, among other services. Account with 187 workers of which "135 are full-time employees". Until 2014, which is the year evaluated by the AGCBA, there were 240 residents.
One of the weakest points detected is related to food. "In 80% of the regimens the grams served are less than those planned," says the report. Specifically, "in red and white meat, which are a source of protein and iron." On the contrary, "a greater percentage of the projected in porridge rations" is noticed, which contributes carbohydrates but contains little protein of animal origin, fundamental for a healthy diet.
The auditors explain that the lack of a nutrition specialist in the late shift, for example, "makes it difficult to monitor, track and control the indications made that the licensee must comply with." In fact, as seen in the following table, the staffing is far from the ideal:
Following the lack of staff, the report warns about "the insufficient number of gerontological assistants" since, "each of the six rooms has one, two or as maximum caregivers, which makes it difficult to replace by absences or licenses legally identified."
At the close of the audit, the home had 46 gerontological assistants. According to the Director of the home, "the situation would be alleviated with the incorporation of four people."
On the training of the caregivers, the AGCBA pointed out that of the 23 cases analyzed "80% did not take the Gerontological Assistant course". Another 13% did not do it "because it was not meant to them since they do not fulfill that function" despite being so cataloged in the list of Human Resources that the audited entity gave the Watchdog.
The staff meant to attend the 78 patients with mental health problems is not enough: "San Martín has only one psychiatrist on call for the morning shift."
In the Pharmacy "there is no pharmacist responsible for the order, receipt, and distribution of medications." A radiologist performs the tasks and "there is no procedure manual" for the sector.
Because of this lack of staff, due to the building and food problems, in May 2014 the residents went on a hunger strike in which the City Ombudsman had to intervene.
Home security is even a weak point. Here also they do not reach the security personnel designated by the Undersecretary of Urban Security. On average, there are only two agents in custody, which makes it easy for people outside the establishment to enter and facilitates the theft of elements from the senior citizens and the center. The report cites as an example of theft of faucets in a recently renovated room.