Residents accuse Tafta staff of abuse, theft, hostility
CLAIMS of abuse, theft and hostility have been levelled at staff of a home which cares for senior citizens in Durban.
In the same week that Tafta, The Association for the Aged, commemorated Elder Abuse Awareness Day, several of the 600 people who live in its Langeler Towers and John Conradie House homes, on South Beach, alleged that management had violated their rights, ill-treated them and in at least one instance wrongly evicted a resident and condemned her to life on the street.
On its website Tafta says the “alarming reality” is that elder abuse is on the rise and that at least one out of six suffered some form of abuse, which included physical neglect or harm, as well as emotional or financial abuse. The organisation says that was before taking the additional impact of Covid-19 and the national lockdown into account.
Dan Reddy, a Langeler Towers resident, blew the whistle on what he called human rights violations and recently began a petition for the removal of management, volunteers and the security company employed at both residences.
“We are sick of it, we are treated like prisoners in our own homes. Residents get threatened with eviction; volunteers and management steal donations. It feels like we have no freedom but management is allowed to come and go freely.”
Reddy said to date his cries for help have gone unanswered.
Douglas Govender, another resident, has taken his grievances to court to secure an interdict against Taftas’s area manager, building manager and supervisor.
He said after much fighting and negotiating, management finally allowed him to return to work after he was initially accused of falsifying his work permit. Govender said he was also prohibited from taking morning walks even though the country’s lockdown regulations allowed it.
Lorraine Chelin, 70, said Tafta’s draconian measures left her destitute and that she was forced to sleep in street shelters when the country implemented lockdown measures to counter the global Covid-19 pandemic. Like the other residents interviewed by Sunday Tribune, she said Tafta intimidated them into signing Covid-19 related forms which she later found out prevented her from returning to her residence.
“I went to the clinic for medication and the ATM to draw money. When I returned the area manager made me sign forms which she did not let me read. All of a sudden I was homeless. I was told to go and live with family, but my children are abroad and my husband is dead. I have no family. I wanted to go to a cheap bed and breakfast but everything was closed.”
Chelin said she now spends her days sitting on the pavement waiting to be allowed back into the street shelter which only allows patrons in at 4pm but expects them to be out by 9am.
“The money my son sent me is almost depleted and solely goes to paying for the shelter, some days I don’t eat. I am only allowed back from July 13, but I don’t think I will be alive to see that day.”
Femada Shamam, Tafta’s chief executive, said she was aware of the allegations and an emergency meeting was held with residents in May to address their complaints.
“I empathised with their frustrations over lockdown and restrictions on movement. We are investigating corruption and ill-treatment claims.”
Shamam said when people were allowed to exercise between 6am and 9am during the lockdown’s level 4, some of the elderly left the building under the pretence of exercise but only returned several hours later.
Shamam said Chelin was advised not to leave the building but had refused to listen. And while she was initially only allowed back in September, they had made provision for an earlier return.
“She also resided in the same unit as our first Covid-19 positive resident. The area manager constantly contacts Chelin regarding her return but we have to ensure that all reasonable steps are taken to protect other residents.”
Shamam said some residents had historically believed themselves to be unfairly treated in the distribution of donations. “The poorest, subsidised residents are usually the only recipients of donations. About 235 residents are heavily subsidised by our fundraising and state funding. The remaining 400 residents have come into the independent living facility as they are economically independent.”
This week, Shamam said she had received Reddy’s recording of complaints and was in the process of investigating the claims.
“We are doing our best but he has continued to inundate me with recordings in the midst of managing 13 facilities containing an elderly population of over 2 000. We also have our first positive Covid-19 case in his building and I am forced to prioritise this over his complaints.”