In the St. Elisabeth senior citizens’ and care center in the Schweinau district of Nuremberg, the situation has apparently been tense for months. Nursing staff report that proper care is currently not possible. The employees are overburdened and physically and mentally exhausted. The private operator disagrees, and according to the Nursing Home Authority of the City of Nuremberg, there is no defect. The Verdi union accuses the authority of not checking critically enough – and called for a demonstration in front of the home on Thursday. A large number of nurses took part.
Employees complain about staff shortages
An anonymous letter to BR24 signed “Employees St. Elisabeth” describes drastic problems. The unknown authors explain that due to the massive lack of staff it is hardly possible to provide adequate care for the residents. The consequences are poor hygiene and an inadequate supply of food and drink: “We have no staff (…) It is impossible to look after our residents. Two to three nurses in the morning, late one or two, wards are often at night not occupied,” the letter said.
“Poor personal hygiene, nappies that are not changed often, only four pads in 24 hours, people lie in wet beds. Bad food, two small bottles of water a day. (…) Human dignity is seriously violated in this facility carry on like this, not with this leadership.” Employees of the St. Elisabeth Senior Citizens and Nursing Center
BR research makes the statements in the anonymous letter seem credible. Employees who do not wish to be named but who are known to the BR also describe a tense personnel situation that has been going on for months. The carrier is constantly planning too few staff, it is said.
Home supervision: No interference in personnel matters
The Nursing Home Authority of the City of Nuremberg has also received anonymous letters in recent months relating to the St. Elisabeth nursing home, confirms its manager, Klaus Friedrich. For legal reasons, Friedrich does not want to say how much mail was received, nor whether any deficiencies were found during subsequent checks in the home. When asked what kind of grievances were found, the head of the home supervision answered evasively: “This question does not apply to me” – which probably means that no grievances were found. Friedrich gives a similar answer to the question of whether the home supervisors have considered closing the home. “The home is still there,” he says. In addition, Friedrich points out that the home supervisors see themselves as advocates for the residents. You cannot interfere in personnel matters.
Verdi: Home supervision should not only control files
But how can it be that nursing staff report that they are completely overwhelmed, but the home supervisor sees no reason to intervene? Statements from employees confirm the acute shortage of staff. According to the Verdi union, the home supervisor does not look closely enough. “They only check the files and not the actual situation,” says union secretary Martin Schmalzbauer. In other cities, with so many tips from employees, the management of the home has long since stopped admissions to the home, he criticizes.
In the meantime, the home itself has decided not to accept any new residents for the time being. At BR’s request, Alwo Altenwohn- und Krankenpflege-Betriebs-GmbH said that on February 6th, “independently and without official requirements”, the decision was made to impose a freeze on admissions. “In addition, we support our employees with temporary workers in order to meet the current sickness rate,” says a written statement. A subsequent examination by the health insurance company’s medical service found “no significant deviations”.
“Colleagues cry into the phone”
Tatjana Sambale is a nurse in another facility, but is involved in the working group for elderly care at Verdi Mittelfranken and is therefore the contact person for many colleagues from the St. Elisabeth home. For months there have been stacks of overload notices, she reports. The home operator also confirms the existence of debit notifications. If nursing staff make an overload report, this means: Adequate care was not possible due to a lack of staff. Tatjana Sambale from Verdi reports that she is constantly being called by colleagues who are crying on the phone because they have been recovering for months. “They go to their physical and psychological limits.” This was the only way that none of the residents had been seriously injured.
“It just can’t be that there have to be deficiencies before something can be done. Every deficiency means: A person in need of care was not cared for as he/she should and deserved it. It doesn’t have to come to that. It must be possible for colleagues to be listened to when they say: We can’t do it anymore. Help us.” Tatjana Sambale, Nurse and AG Altenpflege at Verdi Mittelfranken
Rosters do not reflect actual situation
From the point of view of Tatjana Sambale, who works on a voluntary basis at Verdi, the supervision of the home does not play a creditable role in the case of the St. Elisabeth senior citizens’ and care center. For months, the employees in the home have complained that they are overworked – but the home supervisor has not found any shortage of staff. In the duty rosters, says Sambale, the care key is also observed.
But the plans do not show whether a nurse actually started her service. Around 18 employees are currently ill. So it happens again and again that according to the roster there are enough nursing staff present, but in reality too few are on duty due to sick reports. “The home supervisor should listen much more often to those who work the bed and see the staff shortage first hand,” she says. In addition, many nursing staff have also resigned. In the anonymous letter that BR24 has, 20 is mentioned.
Home operator: maintenance code is observed
Alwo Altenwohn- und Krankenpflege-Betriebs-GmbH explained that the home met “all the requirements related to the statutory care key.” The tests carried out by the home supervision were therefore without any abnormalities – the last one took place on December 1st. Since January, a training program has also been carried out on the wards “to optimize work processes and further increase quality.” And: An agreement has been reached with the works council on the creation of a duty roster, which will come into force on April 1st. This also includes bonus payments for employees.
But who is the private home operator of the St. Elisabeth senior citizens’ and care center? The administrative headquarters of the Alwo family business is in Bad Harzburg in Lower Saxony. Alwo operates three retirement homes, all in the greater Nuremberg area. The St. Elisabeth home in Nuremberg has belonged to the company since 2012, until then it was a Catholic house. “Living together in security” is the Alwo mission statement, the principle of holistic and activating care is the focus, the company writes on its website. The managing directors are Maria and Gina Fancello, who, in addition to their commitment in the care sector, also act as managers of a car dealership in Goslar.
Demo of the nursing staff of St. Elisabeth
There were around 50 participants at a rally on Thursday afternoon, including residents and employees of the St. Elisabeth senior citizens’ and care center, who wanted to draw attention to their difficult situation. They were supported by the works council of the home, the Verdi trade union, the “Health instead of Profit” initiative and the Catholic company pastor Kurt Reinelt. The home supervisor was also invited to the demo. In the authority, which is based at the health department of the city of Nuremberg, a statement for Mayor Marcus König (CSU) is currently being prepared. In May, the situation in St. Elisabeth will be discussed in the health committee.