Nursing home owner in Lhota previously defrauded elderly residents in Poděbrady, claims councillor
The collapse of nursing home KV Lhota near Kladno, from which ambulances transported dozens of malnourished elderly residents, is apparently not the first failure by operator Viliam Švec.
Nursing home operator faces suspicion of repeated misconduct
The collapse of the nursing home in Lhota near Kladno, from which emergency services transported approximately two dozen malnourished elderly residents last week, is probably not the first similar incident involving Viliam Švec, operator of KV Lhota. This is according to news server Novinky.cz, citing statements from Central Bohemian regional councillor for social affairs Martin Hrabánek (ODS).
"This company, though renamed, is not entirely new; there was a problem with them in Poděbrady some years ago," Hrabánek admitted, without providing further details. According to him, the situation in Poděbrady did not reach as critical a stage as in Lhota — clients did not have to be hastily transferred to other facilities at that time.
Similar suspicions were voiced by regional governor Petra Pecková (STAN). "Clients are mostly afraid to speak out because they know they are dependent on the owner. But I believe there is enough evidence gathered," Pecková said. Police are still investigating the case and have not yet specified the specific criminal offence or charged anyone. All clients have already been provided with alternative accommodation.
Operations without registration, debts for food and wages
The nursing home ceased operating from last Monday. The firm KV Lhota provided clients with accommodation only and collected rent; care services were supposed to be provided, according to Švec's account, by a partner registered company. However, the authorities are currently conducting proceedings to revoke the registration of that company as well. KV Lhota itself never applied for registration — operating an unregistered social service carries a fine of up to two million crowns.
The case was triggered by the hospitalisation of one of the clients in a Kladno hospital, where doctors alerted social workers to his malnourished condition. Last Wednesday, criminal investigators, the Central Bohemian emergency service and staff from the Czech Red Cross arrived at the nursing home with food and hygiene supplies. According to Hrabánek, no staff were present at the facility at that time, and the operator stopped providing money for food.
"The entrepreneur owes money to employees. Some have left, some have stayed — hats off to them for trying to keep the operation going until the last moment," Hrabánek described. According to the councillor, operator Švec stated that activities would end on 31 May, and immediately afterwards announced that he would not provide money for client food from 30 May onwards.
Švec himself rejects these conclusions. "Food was fully provided at the facility. Clients certainly did not go without. On the contrary, most of them stayed at the facility long-term voluntarily and were satisfied here," he stated, adding that staff were present on the premises. He did not comment on suspicions of previous misconduct in Poděbrady.
Demographic pressure feeds grey-market services
Hrabánek warned that similar cases could be repeated. According to demographic projections, the number of elderly people will grow rapidly, while the number of beds in registered facilities is woefully inadequate. "It is fertile ground for someone to exploit people in difficult life circumstances and offer them this type of service for a certain sum," the councillor said, noting that thousands of new places in nursing homes will be needed in coming years.
Source: Novinky.cz