The Covid-19 pandemic showed its weaknesses and raised doubts about the management of Hogar Santa Rita, the largest residence for the elderly in the Canary Islands, which after 41 years of caring for elderly people with limited resources is facing a judicial investigation for possible crimes of mistreatment and even reckless homicide. A devastating report issued by staff at the University Hospital of Nuestra Señora de la Candelaria (Hunsc) at the end of 2020, which spoke of outbreaks of scabies and cases of malnutrition and dehydration, led to the complaint by the Prosecutor’s Office that marks the beginning of this case. It was admitted for processing on November 17, 2021 and has given rise to the opening of proceedings in the Court of First Instance and Instruction Number 2 of Puerto de la Cruz, which must now clarify whether or not there has been a crime in the management of the macrocenter for the elderly founded by Father Antonio in 1981.
Scabies outbreaks; cases of malnutrition and dehydration, and shortages and lack of control in meals were the main anomalies reported by Hunsc staff at Hogar Santa Rita after taking over this nursing home, at the end of 2020, to try to stop the outbreaks of Covid that closed with more than 200 positives and twenty deaths. Radio Club Tenerife revealed in July 2021 the content of these reports, prepared a few days after the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands ordered, on December 8, 2020, the intervention of this residence with 600 inmates due to the lack of control of the infections. The information was later transferred to the Social Rights Council of the Canarian Government, the Prosecutor’s Office opened an investigation and the insular councilor of Social Action, Marián Franquet, warned that the Cabildo de Tenerife would act “without hiding behind the lack of competence”.
La Ser announced yesterday that the complaint filed by prosecutor Carmen Ávila had been admitted for processing by the Court of Porto, which is a key step for the future of Santa Rita, after more than a year of doubts. The first Hunsc report reached the Regional Vice-Ministry of Social Rights on December 28, 2020. On January 18, 2021, the Head of the Inspection and Registration of Centers Section of that ministry sent Hogar Santa Rita a request, with a warning of possible sanctions, in which he requested the urgent adoption of three measures: the preparation of a report on the actions of the center’s management to resolve the absence of a nutrition specialist; another detailed report on the outbreak of scabies, and the modification of the meal schedule so that “the time of fasting between dinners and breakfasts is reduced”. In that request, Hogar Santa Rita was also urged to deliver a copy of the contract of the company or of the professional qualified in dietetics and nutrition in charge of supervising “the feeding plan and carrying out, in coordination with the medical team, the monitoring of the situation nutrition of the residents, establishing individualized diets for those who require it».
At the same time, the Prosecutor’s Office did its job and transferred it to the Court of First Instance and Instruction Number 2 of Puerto de la Cruz. The judicial work has not ceased since then and sources from the Superior Court of Justice of the Canary Islands (TSJC) have confirmed this Thursday that it is expected that “in the coming weeks a statement will be taken from the head of the center”, who is currently the director manager Tomas Villar.
The Fundación Canaria Hogar Santa Rita has more than 300 places arranged with the IASS, for which it receives around 6.5 million euros each year from the Cabildo de Tenerife, in addition to benefiting from numerous subsidies granted by the town halls of municipalities with neighbors sheltered in this macrocenter.
A history of 41 years
The foundation
Since 1981
Father Antonio María Hernández Hernández, popularly known as Father Antonio, founded the Hogar Santa Rita I in 1981 in the neighborhood of Punta Brava, in Puerto de la Cruz, where he worked as a parish priest.
The expansion
bits of heaven
Selling “bits of heaven”, Father Antonio raised more than 12 million euros with which he built the large complex of Hogar Santa Rita II, with capacity for more than a thousand elderly, and began his unfinished project to care for people with Alzheimer’s.
The fire
The “miracle” of 2008
On October 8, 2008, a fire broke out in Hogar Santa Rita I, closed since then, where the providential action of workers, neighbors, firefighters and police officers prevented a tragedy. Dozens of professionals and volunteers collaborated to evacuate the residence before it was completely filled with smoke. No injuries or serious injuries were reported.
The crisis
More concerted places
After the fire, the Hogar Santa Rita II was forced to house more than a thousand elderly people and the foundation went through years of difficulties in which it demanded more public aid and more concerted places. The Cabildo also began to demand some changes in the management model, more professionalization and a gradual reduction in the number of residents, which is currently limited to about 700.
The farewell
March 24, 2011
Father Antonio passed away on March 24, 2011 and the Fundación Canaria Hogar Santa Rita remained in the hands of the board, led by two of his most faithful collaborators: Roque Silva, current president of the foundation, and Tomás Villar, manager and director.
The doubts
Covid and scabies outbreaks
The outbreaks of 0 and scabies and the intervention of the Health Department between 2020 and 2021 cast many doubts on the current management of the Santa Rita Home, which now, in 2022, will be subject to judicial scrutiny
