9.4. Social care institutions stairs was facilitated by handrails. 8-bed rooms accommodated more than 4 persons, and the personal living space prescribed by law was not ensured. There were no rooms for the joint accommodation of married couples and registered partners. Some of the residents established intimate relations with each other. In Building C, there was a conjugal room of 7 m2 with two beds placed next to each other, which the couples could use any time and as long as they wanted. In order to use the conjugal room, the couples had to ask for the key from the carer. The couples received a clean bedsheet, and condoms were also available in the room. Upon the residents’ request, the physician prescribed contraceptive pills or injections. There were some relationships in which no sexual intercourse took place, but the residents found a soulmate in each other, and they went for a walk together in the garden, or accompanied each other to the village. The emotional bonds between the couples became manifest during the joint interviews as well: they were holding hands during the conversation, or they said that they “only cared for each other in this place”. The Institution could not ensure joint accommodation for partners in the same room. Nevertheless, there were several couples who managed their finances together. I asked the head of the Institution to set up rooms allowing for the joint placement of couples, in consideration of those couples who nurture a stable emotional relationship and also manage their finances together. The number of restrooms available for the residents did not attain the number prescribed by law. When choosing carers to bathe residents, the personnel try to take into consideration the sex of residents in need of help. As there are few male nurses, the rule of thumb is to have male nurses bathe residents of a heavier build. If a female resident indicates that she does not want to be bathed by a man, the staff make sure that she is assisted by one of the female carers. Due to the composition of the staff, however, there are cases when – in the absence of an available male nurse – male residents are also bathed by female nurses. Based on the accounts of the personnel, the residents are allowed to choose the clothes they wish to wear, but they often put on too many garments, and in such cases, the personnel points that out to them and helps them to dress up appropriately. When laundry has been done, the residents always get back their own clothes, and the labels of the garments are marked with their names. One of the residents said that he/she regularly helped the nurses look after the ill, and also assisted them in bathing and changing nappies. In accordance with the statements of the 8th General Report on the CPT’s activities, I pointed out that if possible, the residents should not be involved in providing care for their fellow residents.180 180 See Clause 29 of the 8th General Report on CPT’s activities [CPT/Inf (98)12]. 89