More elderly patients suffering abuse amid COVID-19 pandemic
GettyimagebankBy Kim Se-jeong A private elderly care center in South Gyeongsang Province became the subject of an investigation after keeping one patient tied to a bed for days.According to the Kyoungnam Elderly Protection Agency which conducted the investigation, the man in his 70s spent most of his time restrained by his wrists and attached to the bed. Despite guidelines that ban confinement for more than two hours at a time, he was only untied for meals and had a diaper on at all times. The troubled care center claimed the measures were needed to keep the patient, who had a skin disease, from rubbing his skin but the protection agency concluded the man was the victim of physical abuse.The same institute is also accused of taking COVID-19 relief funds from its patients without their consent. “For example, 400,000 won was taken and spent on buying 30 enemas. I don't see how one patient can need 30 enemas,” an official from the protection agency said. In addition, the police found the center transferred 18 million won from one patient's savings account to one employee. It
