2 Investigators: Nursing Patient’s Last Days Included STD

(CBS) – A mother says her daughter died after suffering repeated abuse and neglect at a nursing home. That same nursing home is facing nearly 90 lawsuits against it.

2 Investigator Dave Savini reports.

Mary Mims’ daughter Letasha started suffering from severe mental-health issues, including dementia, and ended up needing full-time care at Alden-Wentworth Rehabilitation.

Mims says Letasha couldn’t speak or use her arms or legs, yet was repeatedly left in her own feces. Mims took pictures to document the alleged neglect, which she says resulted in bed sores and wounds.

“I’ve never seen a wound as bad as my daughter’s. It was all the way to the bone,” Mims says.

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Before 2017 comes to a close, we’re revisiting some of the notable news stories of the year. You might remember back in September, Hurricane Irma struck Florida, knocking out power for millions across the state.

(SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED BROADCAST)

UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN: For some, it could be a matter of life or death. Six people at a nursing home in Broward County, Fla., have died after their facility lost power during the storm. Authorities say three residents were found dead at the rehabilitation center at Hollywood Hills.

FRAYER: In all, 14 nursing home residents died, most after they were evacuated to a nearby hospital. Twelve of those deaths have been ruled homicides. NPR’s Greg Allen joins us now from Miami to update us on this story and the criminal investigation that has followed. Hi, Greg.

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URBANA, ILL. (WCCU) — The Champaign County Nursing Home was hit with two violations from the Illinois Department of Public Health.

Both violations come after the deaths of two residents in the past year.

According to IDPH Communication Manager, Melaney Arnold, an “AA” violation was issued to the facility in response to a resident who committed suicide at the facility.

The other violation resulted from another resident death.

Melaney said this past June the resident was found unresponsive on the nursing home’s outdoor courtyard after being exposed to high temperatures for more than three hours.

“It’s a neglect situation,” Melaney said in regard to the second violation.

The fines for both violations total to $75,000.

http://foxillinois.com/news/local/county-nursing-home-hit-with-two-violations

MEMPHIS, Tenn. — Memphis Police said they are investigating an elder abuse case involving a patient at a local nursing home after a horrifying discovery.

According to a police report, the elderly resident of Ashton Place on Walnut Grove Road went to the hospital after he started running a high fever. Hospital workers told investigators and a social worker they discovered five open wounds to different parts of his body and a bruise to his stomach during treatment. He also had severe dry skin that was “flaking off his body.”

But that wasn’t all they found.

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CHENOA, IL – A nursing home in McLean County is facing a lawsuit after inappropriate photos of residents were posted on Facebook.

The Pantagraph reports residents at Meadows Mennonite Retirement Community, near Chenoa, say the facility failed to protect patients in the dementia care unit.

They say several pictures and a video of residents, including partial nudity, was posted on the web.

At the time of the incident the CEO of the nursing home said the person who posted the pictures was not associated with the facility. When they found out they immediately turned it over to the Illinois Department of Public Health and local law enforcement.

The lawsuit seeks more than $50,000 in damages.

http://www.centralillinoisproud.com/news/local-news/local-nursing-home-faces-lawsuit/843115161

By Teri Dreher
Having to choose a nursing home for a loved one is a daunting task. It’s an emotionally difficult time, and figuring out the financial piece can be overwhelming in itself.

Beyond that, it’s critical to pick a quality facility where your loved one will be happy and receive great care. So plan on visiting multiple facilities and taking your time there.

Be observant. Be unapologetic about asking questions. And be sure to do your background research.

1. High Medicare ratings

2. Few state-recorded complaints

3. Low staff turnover rates & patient/staff ratios

4. Low infection rates

5. Stable, experienced leadership

6. A quality rehabilitation staff/PT department

7. Praise from families of long-term patients

8. Healthy, delicious food and trained chef oversight

9. A family counsel group

10. Warm staff/patient interactions

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Healthcare, tax reform and the debt ceiling probably will be among the highest-profile issues when Congress returns from a monthlong recess Sept. 5.

But Democratic lawmakers and consumer advocates already have served notice that they’re also going to keep a spotlight on protecting people’s right to sue nursing homes for neglect or abuse of elderly patients.

The Trump administration, through the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, announced in June its intent to roll back legal rights for consumers put in place under the Obama administration.

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