Elderly and Alzheimer's Rights Fund
Donation protected
Our objective is to make sure that no other elderly people have to go through similar experiences.
My grandfather suffered from Alzheimer's. Three years ago in Brno, Czech Republic he voluntarily entered a psychiatric hospital for a two week program for Alzheimer's patients. One night he got up to use the restroom, and returned to the incorrect room. He became confused and agitated in his new surroundings. He was not taken back to his room.
The hospital staff seized my granfather against his will, and took him to the "closed" section of the hospital. They proceeded to use thick hard leather straps to keep him tied to the bed for prolonged periods of time. The hospital did not even bother to inform his wife that he had been transferred.
A few days later she found him strapped to the bed (sometimes even a chair) with visible black and blue bruises on his arms and midsection of his body, caused by tight, very hard leather straps. She found him in adult diapers, although before entering the hospital, he was still able to use a bathroom by himself. He was scared, anxious, and unable able to communicate at all. This “treatment” led to his general malnutrition and dehydration; the staff “did not have time” to individually feed patients and help them drink liquids. She found him strapped to the bed near open windows in the middle of a very cold window. Within few days he developed magnesium deficiency and pneumonia.
In this condition he was transferred to a regular hospital (and yet again, the psychiatric hospital neglected to inform his wife about this transfer), where he was treated well, but unfortunately passed away a few weeks later. We believe that his experience in the psychiatric hospital expedited his passing.
The staff in the psychiatric hospital made poor decisions at every turn. The undignified and inhumane treatment of the elderly is unfortunately a common story in Czech Republic.
His wife, our step-grandmother, has been working with an advocacy group in the Czech Republic, and is raising awareness of the situation so it doesn't happen to anyone else. This gofundme campaign is to raise legal funds for a possible civil suite. There is already some media coverage you can read for more information (it is in Czech but google should be able to translate).
http://www.lidiligy.cz/podporte-pravni-zastupovani-manzelky-pacienta-ktery-zemrel-par-dni-po-hospitalizaci-na-psychiatrii
http://www.lidovky.cz/kurtovani-alzheimerika-na-psychiatrii-pozustali-z-usa-vybiraji-penize-na-pravniky-gzz-/zpravy-domov.aspx?c=A170120_145614_ln_domov_sk
Thank you for your support, we truly appreciate it.
Zuzana Pavlovsky
Susan Pavlovsky
Steve Pavlovsky
Pavel Pavlovsky
My grandfather suffered from Alzheimer's. Three years ago in Brno, Czech Republic he voluntarily entered a psychiatric hospital for a two week program for Alzheimer's patients. One night he got up to use the restroom, and returned to the incorrect room. He became confused and agitated in his new surroundings. He was not taken back to his room.
The hospital staff seized my granfather against his will, and took him to the "closed" section of the hospital. They proceeded to use thick hard leather straps to keep him tied to the bed for prolonged periods of time. The hospital did not even bother to inform his wife that he had been transferred.
A few days later she found him strapped to the bed (sometimes even a chair) with visible black and blue bruises on his arms and midsection of his body, caused by tight, very hard leather straps. She found him in adult diapers, although before entering the hospital, he was still able to use a bathroom by himself. He was scared, anxious, and unable able to communicate at all. This “treatment” led to his general malnutrition and dehydration; the staff “did not have time” to individually feed patients and help them drink liquids. She found him strapped to the bed near open windows in the middle of a very cold window. Within few days he developed magnesium deficiency and pneumonia.
In this condition he was transferred to a regular hospital (and yet again, the psychiatric hospital neglected to inform his wife about this transfer), where he was treated well, but unfortunately passed away a few weeks later. We believe that his experience in the psychiatric hospital expedited his passing.
The staff in the psychiatric hospital made poor decisions at every turn. The undignified and inhumane treatment of the elderly is unfortunately a common story in Czech Republic.
His wife, our step-grandmother, has been working with an advocacy group in the Czech Republic, and is raising awareness of the situation so it doesn't happen to anyone else. This gofundme campaign is to raise legal funds for a possible civil suite. There is already some media coverage you can read for more information (it is in Czech but google should be able to translate).
http://www.lidiligy.cz/podporte-pravni-zastupovani-manzelky-pacienta-ktery-zemrel-par-dni-po-hospitalizaci-na-psychiatrii
http://www.lidovky.cz/kurtovani-alzheimerika-na-psychiatrii-pozustali-z-usa-vybiraji-penize-na-pravniky-gzz-/zpravy-domov.aspx?c=A170120_145614_ln_domov_sk
Thank you for your support, we truly appreciate it.
Zuzana Pavlovsky
Susan Pavlovsky
Steve Pavlovsky
Pavel Pavlovsky
Organizer and beneficiary
Susan Pavlovsky
Organizer
Jersey City, NJ
zuzana pavlovsky
Beneficiary