According to the investigation, only 20 minutes passed since a nursing home staff member saw the victim and the time of his death. An alarm also sounded when the man passed through a security door.

The resident who died suffered from dementia, a condition that often makes its victims prone to wandering. Many facilities who treat patients with cognitive disorders have security doors and alarms to alert staff when residents wander out of range.

Just last month we told you about a resident of a Massachusetts nursing home who died after the wheelchair she was in rolled down a flight of stairs. The woman had wandered off from the nursing home unnoticed. Family members argued nursing staff should have taken stronger measures to ensure her safety. She was not wearing the doctor-prescribed security bracelet that would sound an alarm if she wandered too close to the facility’s exit. Regardless, family members want to know why no one on staff even noticed her leaving. In that case, the parent company, Life Centers of America, which owns Life Care Center of Acton, was charged with manslaughter neglect of a long-term care facility resident. The company faces up to $6,000 in fines.

Sources:
Brenham Banner-Press

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Nursing home resident dies after fall down steps

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The man’s wife had had enough. She sought legal counsel and as a result, Elderberry Square is facing a $1 million lawsuit in the severe neglect and abuse of the man, according to Salem-News.

Falls among seniors pose a major medical problem. While many injuries from falls can be minor, others can result in major cuts and bruises, broken bones and head trauma. Some may lead to hospitalization, disability, the need for continuous skilled nursing care, or even premature death. Falls also can have psychological consequences, such as depression, isolation and a decline in physical function due to lack of activity.

This is not the first lawsuit of this nature that Elderberry Square has faced. Two years ago, a similar lawsuit was filed against the home involving an Alzheimer’s patient who was repeatedly left unattended. That patient fell numerous times over a two-week period and soon died as a result of a fall.

While an investigation into both cases by the Oregon Department of Human Services found the charges of neglect to be substantiated, a second review resulted in a reversal of the investigators’ conclusion. Attorneys plan to challenge the finding through an appeal.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Facility facing lawsuits for leaving patients unattended

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The report was released last month and is based on the outcome of a February inspection and interviews at the nursing home. It alleges that the home had “inadequate nutritional and hydration services; improper and dangerous psychotropic medication practices; inadequate pressure-sore treatment and skin care; inadequate restorative care and specialized rehabilitation services; failure to protect residents from harm due to falls; failure to adequately investigate allegations of resident abuse; and the inappropriate use of restraints.”

Veterans Affairs Department spokesman Bob Horton says nursing home administrators and state officials were first made aware of the allegations when they received the report last month.

“If the citations in the report were so severe, you would think the department would have been notified sooner, if there was any potential of veterans being harmed or a risk of harm,” Horton told the Press Register reporter.

The Justice Department said the delay was typical and due to heavy paperwork following an onsite visit. The department has yet to issue penalties to the home based on the report, adding that it is likely a settlement will be reached between the Justice Department and the home, eliminating the need for a lawsuit.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Veterans home cited for putting residents at risk of harm

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The falling closet incident in which Sister Mary Murray was killed occurred in August. At the time of the accident, family members accepted the nursing home’s explanation – that Sister Murray’s death was just a freak accident. However, an ABC 7 Eyewitness News investigation revealed that two other residents in the home were injured by falling closets. Summit Park Nursing Care was found by the state Department of Health to be an “immediate jeopardy to resident health and safety,” but no disciplinary action had taken place at that time.

According to Lo Hud, after the two falling closet incidents and before the incident that resulted in Sister Murray’s death, the county had ordered maintenance workers to bolt the two closets that had tipped but did not request the same be done with the rest of the nearly 300 closets in the nursing home.

The family of Sister Murray has filed a lawsuit against the county claiming her death was caused by the “gross recklessness and gross negligence of Summit Park and the county of Rockland and its employees,” according to the newspaper story.

The home was fined $17,300 for negligence in the nun’s death and is still under investigation by the Attorney General and the New York Department of Health.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Family sues county, administrator resigns over nun’s death

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While in her room at the Summit Park Nursing Home in Rockland County, New York, the 90-year-old nun was crushed and eventually died after the closet in her room toppled over onto her. Her family accepted the nursing home’s explanation. It was just a freak accident.

Then came the ABC 7 Eyewitness News investigation that revealed that two other residents in the home were injured by falling closets.

“I became very angry, especially when I knew it could have been prevented,” her nephew Daniel Murray said in a follow up story by ABC7. “All of this could have been prevented. My aunt could have been with us today.” Murray’s family is now demanding the nursing home investigate the situation and explain why, after the two other falling closet incidents, the nursing home didn’t bolt the other closets to the wall.

Daniel Murray now believes that the nursing home tried to cover up its negligence by not telling the Murray family about the other falling closets and not reporting either incident to the state Department of Health.

A nursing home spokesperson refused to comment. Summit Park was found by the state Department of Heath to be in “immediate jeopardy to resident health and safety.” However, there has been no disciplinary action against Summit Park or its employees. The case is now in the hands of the Attorney General, according to ABC7.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Family demands investigation after closet falls on resident

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The four aides from Good Samaritan Society nursing home in Albert Lea, Minn., were fired after a coworker revealed that she was aware of the four women abusing residents, the Star Tribune reported. The aides allegedly held residents down whey they resisted, put their fingers in residents’ mouths and noses to quiet their cries and screams, hit and rubbed their breasts and genitals, and sexually “humped” some residents, according to the Star Tribune. Three additional aides who knew about the abuse but did not tell authorities also were fired.

The story quoted one aide as telling investigators that the four women did the reprehensible acts to make “work fun or to get a good laugh.” Another aide was quoted in the story as saying the women accused were confident that the residents wouldn’t complain because they “don’t have their minds.”

The abuse apparently began early this year and lasted for several months. Family members were told in May that something had occurred but did not get details until this week. The story reported that three of the 15 residents have died and the others cannot be interviewed by investigators because they suffer from diseases that affect memory and cognition.

Good Samaritan Society is based in Sioux Falls, S.D., which operates 40 nursing homes in Minnesota. The Freeborn County Attorney is considering criminal charges.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Minnesota nursing home aides abuse patients for thrills

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Of those 23 homes, 16 stand to collect bonus Medicaid payments this year from state and federal taxpayers, according to the Register. The bonuses are tied to a state program that rewards nursing homes for providing quality, cost-effective care.

Elderly abuse is a crime. If you or a loved one have suffered nursing home abuse and neglect, please contact us today or call your local law enforcement agency.

Here’s how much each home was fined in 2007 and how much it stands to collect this year in performance-based bonuses. The homes are ranked based on the amount of their 2007 fines.

Meadow Lawn Health Care, Davenport
2007 fines: $33,350
2008 bonus: $0
Goldenrod Manor Care Center, Clarinda
2007 fines: $20,000
2008 bonus: $9,680
ManorCare, West Des Moines
2007 fines: $19,500
2008 bonus: $0
Risen Son Christian Village, Council Bluffs
2007 fines: $18,500
2008 bonus: $0
The Abbey, Le Mars
2007 fines: $17,300
2008 bonus: $11,339
Cedar Falls Health Care Center
2007 fines: $16,500
2008 bonus: $0
Iowa Masonic Home, Bettendorf
2007 fines: $15,000
2008 bonus: $44,502
USA Healthcare, Urbandale
2007 fines: $13,400
2008 bonus: $76,859
Ramsey Village, Des Moines
2007 fines: $13,000

2008 bonus: $8,133

Glen Haven Home, Glenwood
2007 fines: $13,000
2008 bonus: $12,028
Park View Care Center, Burlington
2007 fines: $12,250
2008 bonus: $22,418
Woodlands Rehabilitation Center, Council Bluffs
2007 fines: $12,000
2008 bonus: $33,801
Lantern Park Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Coralville
2007 fines: $12,000
2008 bonus: $0
Good Samaritan Home, Villisca
2007 fines: $11,500
2008 bonus: $25,198
Wesley Acres, Des Moines
2007 fines: $11,500
2008 bonus: $8,894
Nelson Nursing Home, Fairfield
2007 fines: $11,500
2008 bonus: $17,972
Oakwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Albia
2007 fines: $11,500
2008 bonus: $0
Red Oak Rehabilitation and Care Center
2007 fines: $11,000
2008 bonus: $9,225

Riverside Manor, Ames
2007 fines: $10,500
2008 bonus: $0
Windmill Manor, Coralville
2007 fines: $10,500
2008 bonus: $24,811
The Manor, Malvern
2007 fines: $10,350
2008 bonus: $18,555
Clearview Home, Mount Ayr
2007 fines: $10,000
2008 bonus: $57,552
Elm Crest Retirement Community, Harlan
2007 fines: $10,000
2008 bonus: $24,142

Source: Iowa Department of Human Services, Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals. (Specialized facilities, hospital affiliates and state-run homes do not participate in the bonus program.)

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Nursing home fines, bonuses

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