Concerns raised over elder care quality at Esperi Care’s Edit nursing home in Pietarsaari

Fredrik expressed his shock during his early shifts at Esperi Care’s Edit nursing home in Pietarsaari, realizing that residents were not receiving adequate care. His colleagues, Tove and Aino, have similar negative experiences. They noted issues such as poor hygiene, inadequate medication management, and chaotic staffing conditions, citing incidents from the past two years. Residents often find themselves in wet diapers, and food is frequently forgotten. Tove emphasized the neglect of basic needs like hygiene and food.

To protect their identities, their names have been changed, although Yle is aware of who they are. All three are qualified healthcare professionals with experience at Edit. They shared credible insights into the operations of the care home. Esperi Care completely denies these allegations, with unit manager Sara Sundqvist asserting that no neglect occurs.

Tove alleges mismanagement of medications, claiming medication errors were discovered that could lead to serious consequences for residents. Staffing shortages were highlighted as a root cause of many issues, with reports of unqualified foreign nursing students being brought in without language skills.

Frequent reports to authorities about care standards only temporarily improved conditions, as issues resurfaced. While the Western and Inland Finland Regional Administration has received similar reports in the past, they state that the situation is now satisfactory, with no new complaints in recent years. The health authority stated their inspections found no serious deficiencies, although the whistleblowers remain concerned about the quality of elder care.

Ultimately, Fredrik, Tove, and Aino seek improvements and are anxious that concerns will be overlooked. They advocate for stronger oversight of elder care standards and hope their revelations spark substantive changes.