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THE Older Person's Association (OPA) has notified President Thabo Mbeki of its intent to take the matter of the alleged neglect of the elderly to the High Court.

They also sent a request for information to the Department of Social Development in Wynberg on the subject of the alleged abuse of Madge Morkel.

In an article in People's Post ("Pain of Age", 1 July), it was reported that Morkel, a resident of the Gordon Green Annexe of the Fairmead Court retirement home in Rondebosch, was taken to hospital with internal bleeding on 30 June for the fourth time since she was moved to the Cape Peninsula Organisation for the Aged (CPOA) institution less than a year ago.

The OPA now wants to know which social worker was or would be assigned to the case and what reports about the case have been submitted by the Gordon Green Annexe. A copy of the department's report to the Director-General of Social Development has also been requested.

In its letter to the president, the OPA says it is of the opinion that the Morkel case, "which is not isolated and is ongoing", is a result of the president not yet having put into operation the Older Persons Act, No 13 of 2008.

The Act aims to deal with the plight of older people by establishing a framework aimed at the empowerment and protection of them, and at the promotion and maintenance of their status, rights, well-being, safety and security.

Another case of alleged neglect was repor?ted to People's Post yesterday.

A family member (who wishes to remain anonymous for fear of victimisation) of a Gordon Green resident claims she was shocked to see how the resident's condition had deteriorated over the weekend. When she had visi?ted him on Friday, he had apparently complained of the skin over his coccyx being sensitive. The resident says she provided the nursing staff with ointment to rub on the skin, but that when she returned for a visit yesterday, the skin was broken and the man was in a lot of pain.

"Neither the staff nurse nor the administrator had any knowledge of the problem until I brought it to their attention during my visit," she claims.

She was then apparently assured that the matter would be investigated and that she would be contacted before the end of the day. By the time of going to print, the resident claimed that nobody had contacted her.

In their letter to the president, the OPA labels the Department of Social Development as "incompetent and incapacitated".

The department's deputy director of communication and marketing, Phumzile Wewe Simelela, says although the department did receive a letter from the OPA, the matter is still under investigation and a report will be tabled today (15 July).

OPA Commissioner of Oaths John Bruce says, having seen the article in People's Post, the association is obliged to provide whatever assistance it can to Morkel and her family, claiming that it has "no motives other than an obligation under the law".

He says the association does not charge any fees for the assistance it provides, but simply acts "responding to... conscience".

Morkel's daughter Jeanne Welsh says she was not aware of the OPA's involvement in the matter.

She says Pat Lindgren, the director of Action on Elder Abuse South Africa, is acting as a mediator between the family and the CPOA, and that the family is prepared to let due process take its course.

"They told us [that staff] disciplinary hearings are taking place this week and we think Pat is handling the situation very well."

According to Bruce, the OPA is considering filing charges against Billy Rauch, manager of the CPOA, in addition to the formal complaints and pending legal proceedings. Rauch says he has no knowledge of the OPA's intent. According to him, he is currently meeting with the concerned families and the necessary disciplinary action is under way.

"We are doing our best to resolve the matter and we are making good progress. It would be very sad for another party to now get involved at this stage and disturb the process," he says.

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