Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Former nurse’s aide Jaclyn Dawn VanWinkle doesn’t understand why her dancing and singing to a nursing home patient has caused such a ruckus, according to Lexington (Ken.) Living. The 25-year-old woman was arrested and charged with wanton neglect of an 84-year-old resident at Madison Manor Nursing Home in Richmond, Ken., where VanWinkle was employed. At least eight other employees face criminal charges, according to the report.

After discovering numerous bruises all over her body, the family of resident Armeda Thomas hid a video camera in her Madison Manor room. For three weeks they recorded nursing assistants physically abusing and taunting Thomas and failing to feed and clean her, according to state records. In one instance, a nursing aide was seen dancing in front of Thomas while another staff member held the resident’s arms.

The video tape showed several nursing assistants partaking in the physical abuse of Thomas. Extendicare, the Wisconsin company that owns Madison Manor, fired nine nursing assistants, made staff changes, and set up a retraining program for staff as a result of the videotape. “We do not condone this kind of behavior,” said a spokesperson for Extendicare in the report.

A spokesperson for the attorney general’s office says the investigation is ongoing and additional charges could result. The home also was cited by the Cabinet for Health and Family Services, threatening its Medicaid certification. The state later issued a statement saying that the nursing home’s management had taken steps to correct the problems.

Thomas’ family members moved Thomas home after seeing the tapes. She died last month after complications from Alzheimer’s disease.

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