Incredibly expensive: four residential care centers cost more than 3,250 euros and score below average

A room in the Zilverduin in De Haan costs at least 3,770 euros per month, almost 1,600 euros more than the average price of a room in a residential care center. In exchange for that amount, residents are “surrounded by excellent warm care in the healthy sea air,” according to the website of the Zilverduin, a residential care center from the Emeis group, the former Orpea.

The inspection report gives a different picture. In January, inspectors found that the rooms were not clean. There was an odor of urine in the protected area. A silverfish was found in a sink. The administration of the medication is not recorded consistently. For one resident, the bathing day was not included in the care plan.

The inspection report also shows an acute staff shortage. When the inspectors visited, a trainee care worker was caring for a corridor with ten residents. A month after the inspection, the Zilverduin was placed under increased supervision.

A room in a residential care center today costs an average of 2,182 euros per month. According to the elderly organization Okra, which requested figures from the Flemish Department of Care, there are major differences: the average price in publicly managed residential care centers is 2,045 euros, in commercial institutions you pay an average of 2,296 euros. The 120 commercial sham non-profit organizations are the most expensive with an average monthly price of 2,421 euros.

“Price is no guarantee for quality,” says Herman Fonck of Okra, who previously concluded that more expensive WTCs have fewer staff on average. “Of the ten most expensive residential care centers – with a price of more than 3,250 euros per month – there are four with a problematic inspection report. In addition to the Zilverduin, these are James Ensor in Ostend, Sint-Vincentius in Leuven and Prinsenhof in Bruges. Of course, there are also cheaper residential care centers that are on the blacklist, but we mainly see a problem with commercial players.”

In February, the Flemish government imposed a ban on profits in elderly care, which will be voted on in May. Minister of Welfare Hilde Crevits (CD&V) is thus keeping a promise she made after a fuss arose about Orpea. A French investigative journalist had exposed in a book how savings were made within the group on healthcare and on care products for which subsidies had been paid out, in favor of the shareholders’ hunger for profit.

A judicial investigation into the case is ongoing today. In January, house searches were carried out in several European countries, including Belgium. Orpea announced last month that it would make a new start under the name Emeis.

“It is essential that these types of cowboys get out,” says Hannes Anaf, Flemish Member of Parliament for Vooruit. “Unfortunately, Hilde Crevits’ decree is still an empty box for the time being. It still leaves the door open for tampering with the care of the elderly. It must of course be possible to create surpluses to build up reserves that can be reinvested in healthcare. But the intention cannot be to enrich foreign investors.”