Human rights monitoring experts carried out an unannounced visit to ‘Armonia’ social care home to observe the manner in which the fundamental rights of institutionalized persons with intellectual and psychosocial disabilities are respected
- The ‘Armonia’ Social care home was founded by the ‘Saint Gabriel the Brave’ Association and functions under a temporary license issued by the National Authority for the Protection of the Rights of People with Disabilities (ANPDPD).
- The majority of residents are people who experienced homelessness, came from placement social care homes which shut down, or psychiatric hospitals, and were not given details regarding their stay.
- CLR found clear violations and reported them to the County’s Agency for Benefits and Social Inspection (AJPIS) and ANPDPD.
- The home smelled heavily of urine and faeces and was infested with bed bug bites. CLR contacted Ilfov County Directorate of Social Work, who stated the conditions don’t represent a violation and that it’s better than living in the streets.
- The indoors (and outdoors) of the house are dirty, filled with oil stains, mould, and expired food, having multiple metal frame beds, old and dirty mattresses, crowded, unsanitary and lacking personal storage spaces. Only two bathrooms are available, both in degrading conditions, damp, mouldy, unequipped and not functioning properly.
- The most important details are that there is only one caretaker responsible for 32 beneficiaries, there is no medical assistant available, daily activities lack variation, there is little to no contact with the outside world, and residents are unable to make any complaints.
- Residents are frequently requesting to leave, but the Ilfov County Directorate of Social Work representative said they cannot be allowed to leave.
- One resident asked to be freed from ‘Armonia’ Social care home, stating she was brought without her informed consent.
- Another resident had her arms and legs tied when she was brought here, and was afraid of what might happen if she complained.
- However, several deaths took place in the home, a high number of them not being reported to the relevant authorities.
- Employees were unable to offer clear data on the number of residents placed under interdiction or any data regarding their tutors or legal representatives.
A list of demands addressed to the responsible authoritiesis available in the full report (RO version).
