Carer drugged elderly woman to steal her jewellery in Spain

She drugged an elderly woman to steal her jewellery: the hole in Spain's home care system

A recent case has once again highlighted the vulnerability of elderly people cared for in their own homes. A carer allegedly supplied drugs to an elderly woman in order to steal her jewellery and money, according to the complaint. The case, still under investigation, reopens uncomfortable questions about how home care staff are hired and supervised.

Outsourcing all the way down the chain: CLECE and social services

The key detail is that the carer was allegedly subcontracted by CLECE, one of the large service companies working for the public administration, and assigned through social services. Outsourcing multiplies the layers of control: the administration hires CLECE, which in turn subcontracts the carer. The question is whether anyone checked her background. The pattern repeats itself: elderly people alone, unfiltered intermediaries and protocols that are ignored in practice.

The migration bias takes centre stage

The incident has become entangled with political discourse targeting migrant workers in the sector, many of them in an irregular situation. There has even been debate over whether sharing the same religion is a guarantee of trustworthiness. But the problem is not the carer's profile, it is the precarity of the sector: low wages, no incentives for background checks and high staff turnover that also attracts people who should not be caring for anyone.

The case is now before the courts. The courts will decide on the alleged perpetrator's guilt. But the underlying problem – the unchecked outsourcing of elderly care – remains unanswered. And another elderly woman has lost her jewellery. Trust, once broken, no one gives back.