Care farm ordered closed for physically, mentally abusing people with disabilities

The Health and Youtchare Inspectorate (IGJ) ordered the care farm Aurora Borealis in Wedde to close its doors after discovering that its employees physically and mentally abused the people with disabilities in their care. The live-in care institution for people with severe multiple disabilities must cease its activities by February 9, RTV Noord reports based on a report from the IGJ.

The IGJ identified numerous cases of abuse at the care farm. One client’s head was smeared with peanut butter so a dog could lick it off. A client was left in a ditch. A client’s head was pushed into the toilet. Caregivers put sand in a client’s bed because they didn’t weed the garden properly. Clients had to sleep outside if they broke the rules, usually in a tent, but if the weather was bad, they could sleep in the workshop. Care providers also called the clients names like “pervert,” “asshole,” or “Satan.”

“The care providers put a client outside because he made loud noises,” the Inspectorate quoted from a daily report. “According to care providers, the client thus claims the attention of care providers. According to them, he had to learn to share attention with others. At the same time, a care provider told us that the client has the developmental level of a child between 1.5 and 4 years old.”

Another incident described in the IGJ report: “The Inspectorate read in the administrative report that a care provider put a banana in a client’s pants. The Inspectorate also read this in the daily report of the client’s file during the visit. The care provider did this because the client did not do what the care provider said several times.”

The IGJ launched an investigation after journalist Albert Stegeman snuck hidden cameras into the care farm and passed the footage on to the police. The police arrested six employees. The criminal investigation into them is still ongoing.

The Inspectorate immediately placed two clients at another healthcare institution. The remaining eight clients will also be transferred.

The IGJ order for Aurora Borealis to close is dated January 11 and was set to publish a week later. But the care farm fought the publication in court. The court ruled against the care farm, and the report was published this week.