PCEA Begins Probe Into Alleged Mistreatment Of The Elderly At Thogoto Care Home After BBC Exposé

• The Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) has initiated a comprehensive inquiry into Thogoto Care Home for the Aged over a troubling investigative report by the BBC
• In the exposé, distressing incidents were captured showing senior residents within the facility being subjected to mistreatment by the caregivers
• One captured an elderly woman being subjected to corporal punishment with a cane after she wandered off the premises without authorisation

The Presbyterian Church of East Africa (PCEA) in Thogoto has responded to disturbing revelations of elderly maltreatment at the PCEA Thogoto Care Home for the Aged.

In an official statement shared with the media, the church indicated that it is probing the alleged mistreatment of the elderly at the Kambu county-based home.

The facility was established by the Women's Guild of the local church but is managed by an independent investor.

PCEA affirmed its collaboration with concerned parties on-site and the National Council of Churches of Kenya (NCCK) to ensure a meticulous investigation.

Elderly woman was caned

The probe was necessitated by a BBC exposé in which two undercover journalists infiltrated the facility as employees and secretly recorded the goings-on inside.

They captured chilling videos of elderly men and women being mistreated by their would-be caregivers.

In one instance, one of the elderly women was filmed being caned by the members of staff for allegedly leaving the premises without permission.

An employee openly admitted that the staffers often punish the residents whenever they fail to follow the laid down rules.

Staffers steal facility's food

Another distressing scene captured a senior staff member taking away donated food intended for the ageing residents of the facility.

According to the residents, being at the facility is a stark reminder that they are waiting to die and be taken to the morgue.

Asked what happens when a patient is unable to feed on their own, one of the residents disclosed that sleeping hungry is inevitable in such cases.

"Do you think she will be the first to die of hunger here? Many have died of hunger here. They deny them lunch, dinner because they don't have time to come and feed them," she said.

We don't allow mistreatment, manager

The facility's manager Jane Gaturu remained adamant that the facility follows the rule of law and is guided by the Christian principles upon which it was founded.

She dismissed the allegations, maintaining that the senior citizens are offered good care and mistreatment is forbidden.

Gaturu reiterated that caregivers give priority and assistance to residents who struggle to eat, and that dismissal awaits any member of staff found carrying away the home's food.