"Mom was sick on New Year's Eve, she had difficulty speaking, I suspected that she was having another stroke, she already had one, I know what it looks like. But the medical technician from the home where she is, refused my request to call the Emergency Service, saying that she was just responding to the new therapy. In the morning, they informed me that Mom was transported to the hospital in a serious condition and that she had suffered a stroke."
This is how Radmila Kolašinac, the daughter of a state beneficiary, begins the conversation nursing home in Diljska street on Karaburma in Belgrade, Ljilje Adamović.
Her mother, she says, went through "neglect, verbal abuse" during her stay in the home, a relationship that ultimately permanently changed her life for the worse.
"My mom has been in a home for the elderly for almost four years. From the very beginning, the employees treated her with disrespect, they are rude, rude. There are also wonderful people there, but they cannot breathe because of the main sister who is fear and trembling," Radmila told "Vreme".
Photo: Private archiveLjilja Adamović has been in the home for almost four years
"If only they had called an ambulance"
According to Radmla, the problems culminated at the end of December, when her mother ended up in hospital due to severe pneumonia geriatrics.
"Her CRP was almost 300. The doctor called me to say that she was having trouble breathing and that she might have to go to the hospital. There was a virus epidemic in the home at the time and visits were prohibited."
After returning from the hospital, her mother's health deteriorated rapidly.
"It was New Year's. We heard each other. She was talking strangely, slowly, I immediately suspected a stroke, because she had already had one. We called the technician to examine her. After 15 minutes, he said that she was fine and not to worry, that she was like that because of a change in therapy."
Radmila claims that she begged the technician to call Ambulance, but that he refused.
"He said to me: 'No, what's on your mind, that they are scolding me for calling 911 because of this condition?' I repeatedly told him to call the emergency room, but he claimed that it was not a stroke."
The next morning there was a call and confirmation - Radmila's mom Ljilja really had a stroke.
"They called me to say that my mom had a severe stroke and that they are fighting for her life. That was on January 1. A hellish four-week struggle followed. Everything could have been different if only they had called the Emergency Service. My mom is now permanently disabled. If only he had called the Emergency Service, it would have been different," Radmila Kolašinac, visibly shaken, told Vreme in tears.
Application to competent institutions
Radmila says that she reported the case to all competent institutions.
"I wrote to the ombudsman, the Ministry of Social Affairs, the Ministry of Health, the President of the Republic. I told the whole world."
However, the answers of some institutions were missing, while others claim that there were no failures in the work.
Regarding this case, "Vreme" contacted the administration of the home where Radmila's mother is housed, but despite several days of promises, there were no answers until the publication of this article.
Photo: Private archiveRadmila talks about the neglect of her mother in the nursing home
New problems after returning home
After recovery and return to the home, as Radmila claims, new problems followed.
"I was afraid of reprisals, that she would be harassed when she came back. I asked if she could be transferred to another home, I was told she couldn't."
According to her, a caregiver insulted and humiliated her mother.
"The carer came in to change her, told her to look at what she looked like and that she was sick of everyone. She didn't bring her water, she turned off the light, closed the door and put the phone in the drawer. She abused her, shouted at her and left her without water."
Radmila says that she reported the case to the police, who went to the field, and that the case is now in the competent prosecutor's office.
Experiences from home
A long-term employee of the home for the elderly also speaks about the conditions and the attitude towards the users, who claims that she witnessed the neglect of the users for years.
She wants to remain anonymous, due to her fear of dismissal and the management's treatment of her, and her name is known to the editorial staff.
"I've seen mostly bad things - neglect of the users, sometimes they won't even change their clothes. I can't say that the employees are not doing anything, but the way they work is not right."
Photo: Gerontological Center BelgradeStationary in Diljska Street
And she confirms her attitude towards Ljilja, whom she claims is the target of rude behavior by employees.
"They were very rude to her. They said that she ate a lot, that her room was dirty, there were always problems around her. That room was neglected, but unnecessarily. The woman behaved normally, she did nothing different from other users."
She claims that the employees often shouted at the user and threatened to throw her out of the home.
"The sisters come, they shout at her, especially the head sister. They act arrogantly, they threaten her to be thrown out of the home."
He adds that the user was blamed for the appearance of bugs in the room, although, as he says, the problem existed throughout the institution.
"They considered that room a horror - the dirtiest and most neglected. They took the woman for no reason."
Speaking about the atmosphere among the employees, she says that she herself feels fear.
"For the head nurse, I can say that she has a very rude attitude. I am also somewhat afraid of her. She was rude to me several times."
In the end, he concludes: "In my opinion, the employees are behaving in such a way that they are not helping people, but that their condition is getting worse. What I am watching is not pleasant at all."
More expensive home, worse care
The price of staying in homes for the elderly in Serbia increased at the beginning of this year, and as the interlocutors of "Vremen" said earlier, the service remained the same. Relatives who take care of people in the home have to cover the cost of medicines, buy diapers and other necessary things.
Radmila Kolašinac had the same experience. Due to complications in her mother's treatment, she told "Vreme", additional drugs are now necessary, and all costs are mostly borne by the family, which has fallen into serious financial problems because of this.
From February 1, 2026, accommodation in the state nursing homes in Serbia, the price has basically gone up by 30 percent, while certain categories of accommodation are up to 50 percent more expensive. The increase comes only two months after the increase pension of 12,2 percent, so many families say old-age costs continue to rise faster than income.
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