Dishwasher breaks down, elderly get plastic forks

Elderly residents living at the government's Mosta Home have been eating their food with used disposable cutlery, a practice that has been going on for weeks, Times of Malta is informed. 

Since the dishwasher at the home broke down some weeks ago, the residents were using plastic forks, knives and spoons, according to sources who spoke on condition of anonymity.
According to the sources, however, instead of the disposables being thrown away after every meal, staff members were cleaning the cutlery to be used again at the next meal.
The sources said that while staff had expressed concern at the repeated use of the disposable cutlery, the situation had persisted for a number of weeks.
On what prompted the decision to shift to the use of disposable plastic cutlery after the dishwasher broke down, the sources said plastic dried quicker, making the whole washing process easier.
Asked about the issue in Parliament earlier this week, Family and Social Solidarity Minister Michael Farrugia confirmed that a technician had certified the dishwasher as “unserviceable”.
He added the process to get a new one had been initiated.

Dr Farrugia also confirmed that until the new dishwasher was...