fundamental and human rights �.� national preventive mechanism against torture proportionate to the size of the unit, with the maximum interval between physician’s rounds being two calendar months. Otherwise, the affairs of patients are taken care of through weekly telephone consultations. In addition to making their regular rounds, the physicians must be available by telephone during business hours on weekdays. The physician is also obligated to visit the unit between rounds if a patient’s condition demands it. Oral health care A dental hygienist visited the unit once a year to check the patients’ teeth. Dentist’s appointments were implemented at the health centre, where the resident was accompanied by a nurse (657 and 659/2018). According to the reports received, patients who still had their own teeth visited a nearby dental clinic annually for check-ups and the required treatment. A dental technician inspected the residents’ dentures in case of any problems. Instead of regular visits, the dental hygienist visited the unit when required. The Deputy-Ombudsman commended the regular visits to a dentist (1212/2018). The nurses tried to see whether the resident’s teeth were painful in connection with brushing their teeth every day. The municipal dentist visited the group home to examine and treat the patient’s teeth when necessary. A dentist and dental hygienist also visited the unit once per year to examine and care for the residents’ teeth (3290/2018). The staff sought to look after the residents’ oral hygiene and health, but problems were caused by the fact that many of the residents refused to open their mouths. According to the nurse, noone had their teeth brushed by force, however. The nurses tried to see whether any of the residents had oral pains. A dental hygienist from the health centre visited the unit once per year to care for the residents’ teeth and assess the treatment needs of residents who the nurses thought to be suffering from tooth aches. Residents were escorted to the health centre’s dentist on the basis of these assessments or as otherwise required (3367/2018). Maintaining the ability to function The observations made during the visits indicated that some nursing homes had invested in maintaining the residents’ ability to function. However, there was room for improvement. The Deputy-Ombudsman considered it positive that the serviced housing unit had its own physiotherapist who was able to provide individual physiotherapy to the residents (383/2018). The municipal physiotherapist visited the nursing home once per week. The unit also employed a physiotherapy nurse (657/2018). The Deputy-Ombudsman considered it insufficient for a service centre for older people to only employ one physiotherapist who worked mostly with home care residents (2218/2018). The group home for the elderly did not have a dedicated physiotherapist or physiotherapy nurse. Some residents purchased physiotherapy services, and the physician could refer residents to a physiotherapist. The unit had designated employees responsible for ergonomics, but their job description did not include physiotherapy. Therefore, the residents’ physical exercise was largely left to the nurses’ rehabilitative working methods. The Deputy-Ombudsman considered it to constitute a shortcoming that a unit with 88 places did not have access to physiotherapy services, which are essential to the care of people with memory disorders in maintaining their ability to function. The Deputy-Ombudsman asked the municipality to consider ways of providing such services in the future (3290/2018). The municipality reported that it had arranged municipal physiotherapy services and instruction in the use of mobility aids for residents who required them and were referred by a physician. Physiotherapy is not part of the concept of assisted living with intensified support. Rather, the residents acquire the services as any other people living at home. The residents have the opportunity to use the gym equipment in the adjacent building free of charge on certain days of the week. The staff support the residents’ everyday mobility with rehabilitative work practices and try to spend as much time as possible outdoors with those residents who wish. 109