Elder Abuse: Violence Among Elderly Nursing Home Patients
The L.A. Times is reporting on the death of a nursing home patient that was the result of his roommate beating him with a hanger rod from a closet. The incident allegedly occurred at Palm Terrace Healthcare Center in Laguna Hills, CA. Investigators are currently investigating why William McDougall (pictured) fatally beat his 94-year-old roommate Manh Ban Nuyen. Sadly, violence amongst nursing home patients is more common than we would like to think. While some violence occurs without any advance warning, many violent acts are the result of ongoing problems at the facility. While I have no insight into the...
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Nursing Home Abuse: Workers' Prank In Applying Grease To Dementia Patients In California Results In Criminal Charges
A demented sense of humor amongst nursing home workers at Valley View Skilled Nursing Facility seems to have backfired-- and has landed a group of them jobless and facing criminal charges. The fallout stems from an incident in which four employees at the California nursing home, covered dementia patients at the facility with lubricant from head to toe, making the patients slippery for staff on the next shift to handle. In the wake of the incident and following investigations from the nursing homes parent company, Horizon West Healthcare and the California Attorney General's Bureau of Elder Abuse, it was determined...
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Elder Abuse Is Widespread, Yet Only 4% of All Cases Get Reported To Authorities
I had to do a re-read of a recent article appearing in the Tennessean.com regarding the prevalence of elder abuse-- or perhaps more accurately the prevalence of un-reported elder abuse in Tennessee. The article cites a report from The Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability that estimate just 1 out of 23 cases of elder abuse get reported to authorities. While there may be a number of reasons why elder abuse goes unreported, a primary reason the article points to is the fact that most elder abuse is perpetrated by caregivers who control the individuals access to the outside world--...
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Sexual Assaults In Nursing Homes, Not Exactly A Pleasant Topic-- But Is An Issue That Needs Attention
A widely publicized Chicago Tribune investigation revealed that authorities have investigated at least 86 cases of sexual violence against elderly and disabled nursing home residents since July 2007, but only one case has led to an arrest. This casts doubt on whether nursing home residents are safe from sexual abuse. While hardly an easy topic to discuss, the prevalence of sexual abuse amongst nursing home patients is a sad topic that must be addressed-- if for nothing else than to spread awareness of this topic. Sexual Abuse in Nursing Homes Sexual abuse is touching, fondling, intercourse, or any other sexual activity with...
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Nursing Home Spotlight: Shelbyville Rehab & Health Care Center
Shelbyville Rehab & Health Care Center has 80 certified beds and a one-star (much below average) Medicare rating. The facility is located in Shelbyville, IL. Although the facility only had five health deficiencies between 9/1/08 and 11/30/09, a significant abuse incident (see below) occurred in 2009, which led to the facility’s poor rating. During an August 26, 2009 annual licensure and certification survey and complaint investigation, it was determined that the facility failed to identify one resident’s willful act of assault of another resident as an act of abuse which resulted in an Immediate Jeopardy situation. According to the...
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Patient Beaten To Death At Nursing Home With Long History Of Safety Violations. Should This Facility Really Be Considered A Skilled Nursing Facility Or Simply A Haven for Thugs?
Murder charges may soon be filed against 62-year-old Ardyce Nauden, after he beat brutally Andres Cardona at Chicago's Columbus Park Nursing & Rehab Center. The beating occurred after Cardona allegedly tried to take Nauden's lunch. The August incident, resulted in Cardona being injured so badly that he was admitted to a hospital and placed on a ventilator. Recently, Cardona died from his injuries. By any standard, Columbus Park Nursing & Rehab Center fails to provide a safe environment for patients. According to public records compiled in the Chicago Tribune's Illinois Nursing Home Safety Report website, Columbus Park cares for a...
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Nursing Home Employee Charged With Battery After A Patient Asks For Assistance With Bathing
Police arrested Brian Dillman, a CNA at Good Samaritan Home and Rehabilitation, and charged him with battery after he allegedly choked, punched and scratched an elderly woman who asked for assistance with bathing. According to reports, the the disabled woman has bruises and scratches from when Dillman grabbed her from behind and attempted to choke her. Dillman remains out on bail. No word as to his employment status at the nursing home. Can the nursing home be held responsible for this abuse? Maybe, it all depends on the circumstances and what-- if any-- knowledge the facility had of Mr. Dillman's...
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Videotape Confirms Resident Murdered By Peer At North Carolina Facilty
Daniel East, a resident at David's House, an assisted living facility has been charged with the murder of Jeremiah Daniel Love-- his co-resident. The surveillance video shows East striking his fellow resident in the head with a metal cane. Love died shortly after the incident at Wake Forest University from closed head injuries. East was arrested on unrelated charges-- for threatening to beat a David's House employee with a cane-- on the day that Love died. East has a criminal history including: time served for assault with a deadly weapon with intent to kill, assault on a female and driving...
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CNA Facing Battery Charges After Co-Worker Reports Abuse To Authorities
Karen Buck, a CNA in Muncie, Indiana, is facing Class D felony (abuse of individuals who are physically or mentally disabled) battery charges after allegedly slapping a 94-year-old nursing home resident in the mouth. The alleged incident took place in June 2, 2007 at the Golden Living Center after the nursing home resident became agitated when Buck began to change the dressings on her feet with open wounds. The resident was unable to speak due to complications from a stroke. Authorities were tipped off to this incident following the report from Buck's co-worker who saw the nursing home abuse taking...
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Employee 'Quiets' Man With Pillow
Forget about asking a nursing home resident to be quiet or actually attending to what may resident needs- just stick a pillow on their face and hope that quiets them. That is the approach used by Jesse Bodey, an employee at Life Care nursing home used with an 85-year-old man when he was screaming in the nursing home. Witnesses say Bodey then placed a pillow over the patients head. A co-worker reported the incident, but when the supervisor checked on the patient, the pillow was gone. The staff at the home told Police that Bodey wasn't trying to suffocate the...
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