Dementia patient dragged to vote

Relatives of an elderly patient suffering from dementia were left distraught when the man was allegedly dragged out of the warm wards of the St Vincent de Paul Residence to vote for the local council elections last Saturday.

The concerned relatives of John* said the patient was moved out of the ward to vote without the consent of his legal guardians, who only got to know of what had happened afterwards.

According to the relatives, a medical superintendent approached the elderly man and asked him whether he wanted to vote. Reportedly, the man said “yes”. Two party agents, representing the Nationalist and the Labour Party each, then accompanied him to the voting station.

Speaking to MaltaToday, the relatives said John was diagnosed with dementia years ago. “John has not spoken a word in months. He is not capable of making any sort of decision for himself. He has no idea as to what elections are, or who the parties or their respective candidates are,” one of the relatives said.

“How is it possible that he was asked if he wants to vote and he replied yes? How is it possible that he knew which party to vote for and which candidates to choose?”

The relative, who also insisted on pointing out that the SVPR staff are dedicated workers who work hard and care for the residents, said that she and another relative were the sole legal guardians.

It is common practice that individuals diagnosed with dementia have a legal guardian, empowered by the Attorney General to be able to take decisions on the patient’s behalf.

“John did not understand one single word that was said to him last Saturday. He was simply manipulated and forcefully convinced to vote. We should have been contacted about the situation, whereby we would have immediately informed them that he was in no position to vote, especially due to the extreme weather conditions like those of the voting day,” the relative said.

Contacted by MaltaToday, the Parliamentary Secretariat for the Elderly did not answer questions asking whether any reparative steps would be taken for the incident not to be repeated.

“It is a normal practice that the Medical Superintendent, accompanied by the Electoral Commissioner and the representatives of the political parties would at a time established by the Commissioner, visit those persons who would be refusing to vote or whom the party helpers would in their opinion consider not able to vote. The Medical Superintendent asks a simple question as to whether the client would wish to vote,” a spokesman for the secretariat said.

The secretariat went on to explain that in accordance with the General Elections Act, St Vincent de Paul Residence, being a government institution that houses over 50 registered voters, becomes a voting station.

Older persons residing and registered according to the Electoral Register at St Vincent de Paul vote at the Theatre Section of the residence.

Only those persons who would not be listed as residing at St Vincent de Paul, and as indicated on the most recent electoral register, would have to vote elsewhere.

“On this occasion, since the elections catered for local councils, the mixed polling booth was not instituted by the Electoral Commission.

“Notwithstanding this, of the 91 persons who were eligible to vote at their locality, only 33 went out to vote in their locality, four of which were accompanied by their relatives,” the spokesman said.

“As instructed by the Electoral Commission and according to the Constitution, every person who is issued a voting document is eligible to vote.

“According to the General Elections Act, the only person who can refuse to vote once a voting document is issued is the person him or herself,” the spokesman said.

The spokesman added that persons in outlying wards were taken down to vote utilising the transport vans of the residence as well as two ambulances for those patients who were bed-bound and had expressed their wish to go down to vote.

*The name has been changed to conceal the identity of the resident in question.