What is not named does not exist, a quote attributed to the philosopher George Steiner, serves to explain that reality which is not spoken of is unknown and if it is unknown it cannot be addressed, which means it cannot be resolved, and it is there, in my opinion, where the power of names lies.
To name, illuminate, and disseminate what is happening is what makes us knowers of reality, because reality always exists, even if we do not see it, and if we want to change it, we must know it.
That is what has happened with the Amavir Residences, a hidden reality that, thanks to the complaints of workers, families, and the Socialist Party, has been named and therefore known by all.
On March 4, four months ago now, we denounced the deplorable conditions to which our grandfathers, grandmothers, fathers, and mothers were subjected at Amavir Tías. Lack of a doctor, of healthcare and caregiving staff, of cleaning, of towels, of bedding, and of food. The first supervision report recorded a terrifying reality in which people who are no longer able to fend for themselves were completely abandoned by the system that should have guaranteed their quality of life and well-being.
“The large number of difficulties described are having consequences for the residents, such as lack of personal and dental hygiene, recurrent falls due to lack of supervision, development of pressure ulcers due to the inability to perform sufficient postural changes and adequate wound care due to lack of staff, urinary tract infections due to not performing all necessary diaper changes due to lack of staff, feelings of loneliness in residents due to insufficient staff to accompany them, medication administration errors that have caused side effects in residents, and low quality of care and attention due to the overload and emotional exhaustion of the staff.”
Four months later, there is cleaning, bedding, and food. What is still missing is the necessary staff for the care of the residents, thus breaching the contract conditions.
This terrifying reality has ended without any consequences for the concession company. The Cabildo opened and closed an informational file from which nothing emerged. Neither the termination of the contract, nor the intervention of the service, nor even an economic sanction. Nothing at all, except for the presence of the Minister of Social Welfare Marciano Acuña toasting with the managers of Amavir Tías for their 19th anniversary. I thank all the family members and workers who contacted us to convey what was happening. Thanks to all of them, we were able to name the events and make them exist.
I want to hold onto that. With how important it is to name, illuminate, and disseminate what happens so that reality exists, because by existing we will be able to change it.
And yes, that is the future that Coalición Canaria has in store for the Hospital Insular, an Amavir-style nursing home.