Dinner at a Belfast care home ...a dish of cold beans and two meagre slices of corned beef
A BELFAST care home says a “full investigation has commenced” after a resident’s grandson posted a shocking photo of the meagre Sunday dinner he claimed his grandmother received in the facility.
Robert Cinnamond posted a picture showing what appeared to be two thin slices of corned beef and a small dish of baked beans, which he said were served cold, on social media on Sunday night.
He said that Cregagh Nursing Home, where he claimed the meal was served to the pensioner, should be “ashamed” for serving the paltry dish.
Asking people to share his Facebook post on social media, Robert stated: “People need to see this. This is what my grandmother got for her Sunday dinner. £600 per week. For a woman that’s worked all her days and has now ended up in care home to be fed like a dog!
“Not only serving this but the fact it was freezing on arrival!
“There’s one thing my grandmother isn’t, a dog, nor will (she) be fed like one.
“Am just glad now I was there this evening to see for myself. I am really upset with the care my grandmother is getting.”
The website for the facility, which is run by Spa Nursing Homes, states that it offers a “varied and nutritious menu”.
In a statement, Spa Nursing Homes told the Belfast Telegraph that it was “working closely” with the Belfast Trust and the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority (RQIA), and that a “full investigation has commenced after which any points raised will be actioned.”
They added: “As a company we take residents’ wellbeing very seriously, treating every resident as an individual, incorporating all aspects of care.”
The Commissioner for Older People for Northern Ireland, Eddie Lynch, said: “I am very alarmed by a photo of what was alleged to be the dinner of a care home resident.
“If this is how any home treats older people within its care then this is wholly unacceptable.
“Aside from the issue of what is a value for money service from any care home charging hundreds of pounds a week, nutrition is key to good health in older people. For older people, just like with anyone else, a decent meal is fundamental to having a good quality of life,” he added.
“I will await the investigation findings and have asked the Belfast Trust for an update on the situation.”