Sarah Saldmann is already at the origin of an action of the same type against the Orpea group after the publication of Victor Castanet’s book, “The Gravediggers”.
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“I received dozens and dozens of testimonials from families”, declared Sunday, February 6 on franceinfo the lawyer Sarah Saldmann who will launch in April a collective action for suspicions of mistreatment within the Korian group. The French leader manages 298 retirement homes in France. Sarah Saldmann is already at the origin of an action of the same type against the Orpea group after the publication of Victor Castanet’s book Les Fossoyeurs. The testimonies tell “undernutrition of patients who are dehydrated”she added.
Have you received many testimonials from families with relatives in Korian group retirement homes?
I received dozens and dozens of testimonies from families of victims telling me that what I read in the book The Gravediggers, my family went through the same thing at Korian. Could you do something for me? Seeing the number of testimonials that increased every day, I said to myself that we were not going to leave them on the floor. It is normal to help them.
What do they tell you in these testimonials?
These are essentially the same problems as at Orpea. There is undernutrition with patients who lose weight very quickly while paying around 4,500/5,000 euros per room. The patients are dehydrated. For example, there is a patient who goes to bed at 4 p.m. and does not get up all day. There are patients who are not stimulated. What stands out a lot are serious hygiene problems. There are also all the humiliations, we despise the patients, we speak badly to them. It’s a total lack of humanity because it’s a money pump.
Do you really feel this awareness of the situation of the elderly in nursing homes?
I think it has generally always existed, but it’s like in all situations, people and society in general need a trigger and that was the book “Les Fossoyeurs” by Victor Castanet. He did a very meticulous job. This is not a rushed investigation. This allowed a prose of conscience which was in my opinion essential because we are talking about a subject that affects us all.