A family has slammed an old age home after someone allegedly tried to steal the gold dentures out of their 84-year-old mother’s mouth.
Juanita Gilbert says her mom Louisa Lombard suffers from dementia and is being taken care of at the Lotus River Place Old Age Home.
The facility falls under the auspices of the Cape Peninsula Organisation (CPOA).
A dentist’s note stated that there were attempts to forcefully or deliberately remove the gold from the dentures.
“They told us that they will investigate the matter, but they did not get back to us.
“We also complained about the care she receives,” Juanita told the Cape Argus.
Her sister, Jenny Boesak, said the four siblings took turns to visit their mom each week, and always with a bag with goodies.
“My mother is also always very hungry whenever we visit.
“I asked permission to take my mother to the dentist and the dentist said my mother’s teeth were taken out with a warm thing.
“You can also see there was scratching with another object in her mouth,” Jenny says.
However, police told them it would be difficult to prove the theft, while the staff said the dentures were old and the gold had simply fallen out, she said.
She added that at every visit, their mother would be wearing the same clothes and her hair was seldom washed.
Lotus River Place Old Age Home care operations manager Ansibel Kirsten says the CPOA has been investigating the matter since February 28 and email correspondence was done regularly with the family and their social worker.
“We are awaiting the photographic evidence the daughter said she had.
“We are trying to conclude our investigation,” Kirsten said, adding that an outcome would be known today.
Social Development MEC Sharna Fernandez’s spokesperson, Joshua Chigome, says the department works closely with NGOs to prevent elder abuse.
To report abuse, contact Action on Elder Abuse SA at 021 426 5255, or call Halt Elder Abuse Line (HEAL) at 0800 00 30 81.
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