Jonathan Rosenfeld's Nursing Homes Abuse Blog : Jonathan Rosenfeld's Nursing Homes Abuse Blog | Lawyer & Attorney : Strellis & Field Law Firm | Bed Sores, Senior Neglect, Elder Abuse, Sexual Abuse: Chicago, Illinois

This past weekend a West Virgina nursing home resident was sexually assaulted by a visitor.  A manager of the Valley Haven Geriatric Center in Brook County called police when they noticed an elderly man acting inappropriately towards a female resident.  The man identified as 81-year-old William Jones was arrested for sexual assault but remains free on bond.

According to Brooke County Sheriff, Richard Ferguson, Jones and the victim were relatives.

Was this perpetrator a known problem?  Did the resident actually want to see him?

Visitors In Nursing Homes

Visiting a nursing home resident is a privilege-- not a right.  Nursing home staff can and should restrict individuals who pose a treat to the physical and psychological well-being of residents.  One of the most basic things nursing homes can do to protect their residents is to have a sign in system for every person who enters the facility.  In cases where a resident is disabled or unable to manage her affairs, the person's family should decide who can and can not see her. 

Facilities should also periodically check-in during the visitors stay.  Not only does this safeguard the residents', but it also gives visitors an opportunity to connect with staff who provide ongoing care.

No word regarding this perpetrators history of visits at Valley Haven.

Read more about this sexual assault of a nursing home resident here.

Resources For Nursing Home Visits

Tips When Visiting A Nursing Home, Ohio Department On Aging

Health Tips for Visiting Nurisng Homes And Hospitals, Centers For Disease Control

Nursing Home Visits. An Opportunity To Conduct Your Own Inspection. Nursing Homes Abuse Blog

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Eleven people exposed to tuberculosis at Pinecrest Hospital, a West Virginia nursing home, have settled their lawsuits brought against the facility.  The lawsuit was brought on behalf of nursing home patients, employees and visitors claims the nursing home was negligent in failing to keep air contaminated with TB out of the general areas of the facility.

Tuberculosis is bacterial infection commonly found in the lungs.  Pulmonary TB is contagious and may be easily spread through the air.  Symptoms include: heavy cough with sputum, tiredness, weight loss, fever increased pulse and swelling of the lymph nodes.  TB is treatable, but requires extensive medications and the symptoms may linger for six months or more.  TB can be fatal among nursing home residents as many already have weakened immune systems.

Nursing homes should take precautions to assure their residents remain free from TB.  In addition to screening new residents, nursing homes should make sure TB patients are segregated from the general population.  Obviously, if the nursing home chooses to provide medical treat met to a person with TB, they also need to have separate air circulation systems in place to assure the safety of their residents.

Read more about the settlement of this nursing home lawsuit here.

Information on Tuberculosis from Web MD can be found here.

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The family of a man suffered from dementia and has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the nursing home responsible for his care.  The man was killed after he was struck by a CSX train.  The lawsuit names Heartland of Charleston nursing home and its parent company Health Care and Retirement Corp. of America LLC.  The lawsuit alleges the nursing home failed to:

• Provide adequate supervision to the man
• Follow facility protocols for missing residents
• Secure the facility
• Failed to use security cameras on the property to locate the man

The lawsuit highlights the tragedy that may result if a nursing home fails to monitor its Alzheimer's and dementia residents.  Nursing homes should not only identify residents who are prone to wander, but also have safeguards in place to keep individuals safely within the confines of the facility.  Nursing homes housing residents with dementia and Alzheimer's should have: door locks, window locks, security alarms and extra staff to ensure the residents remain safe and under supervision.  Read more about this wrongful death lawsuit here.

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