PRESS STATEMENT

Rather than increasing resources, following the reports and horrific images of the Sınırüstü Care Home, resources are being decreased, this is unacceptable

We have been receiving complaints that at Bülent Ecevit Rehabilitation Center, care workers are on strike on the grounds that their salaries have not been paid, and that only 2 nurses care for all the elderly because many nurses are isolated after having contact with Covid positive.
Learning from previous experience, following the delayed response to our years’ worth of reports about breaches of elderly rights at the Halk Vakfı care home in Sınıüstü, we, as the Association for Elderly Rights and Mental Health, are choosing to share our concerns directly with the public, instead of taking the ‘proper’ route and formally contacting the related authorities, which has not been successful until now because:
1. No state organization seems to be taking responsibility
2. Action has been quicker when information has reached the public.

It has come to our attention that the wage offered by the state to caregivers employed by a private company was below the minimum wage due to government cuts, and therefore the offer was rejected by the relevant company. In addition, it has also been learned that due to these cuts, the insurance of public hospitals does not cover earthquake damage. If this information is correct, there is a human rights violation for patients, the elderly, and all staff.

Rather than increasing resources, following the reports and horrific images of the Sınırüstü Care Home, resources are being increased, this is unacceptable.

We call for the state to create more budget for elderly and health services, the need of which has grown dramatically, but instead it seems resources are being cut.

We also call for all human and employment rights to be in place for essential staff such as nurses, carers, cleaners, etc. so that they can give essential services for elderly and patients in these facilities.

We call on the relevant state departments to find a solution to this situation and call for accountability from the state about how much budget is allocated for these services.