February 28, 2008

Waltham Nursing Home Under Investigation for Problems with Patient Care

Piety Corner Nursing Home, a Waltham, Massachusetts nursing home, has been placed on a federal government list of facilities that have serious issues with patient care. The 34-bed facility must now undergo government reviews more often.

In 2006, Piety Corner was cited for over two dozen violations—eight of which were considered actions that placed patients in immediate danger or harm, including:

• Failing to prevent neglect.
• Failing to prevent abuse.
• Failing to maintain maintenance and housekeeping services.
• Failing to promote and enhance quality of life.

Piety Corner also reportedly has failed to properly notify residents and their family members and physicians of changes in patient care and of any accidents that occurred. In one incident, Piety Corner reportedly failed to quickly notify the doctor of a resident of medical test results.

In 2005, a complaint was filed against the facility for its unnecessary use of physical restraints during medical care. Another complaint was filed because residents were not given sufficient liquids to stay properly hydrated.

Piety Corner must pass garner satisfactory results on three surveys in a row.

Nursing home abuse and neglect is an unfortunate problem that occurs in Massachusetts and the rest of the United States. Residents at nursing homes and other resident care facilities are entitled to a certain quality of medical and personal care. When failure to receive this care leads to abuse or neglect, a nursing home resident may be entitled to personal injury compensation.

Common kinds of abuse and neglect include:

• Medical neglect, including failure to provide proper and timely medical care
• Physical neglect, including failure to assist in personal hygiene, create a clean living space, or properly freed or hydrate
• Physical assault
• Sexual Assault
• Overmedication
• Unnecessary physical restraints
• Unnecessary medical restraints

Patient care in question at nursing home, DailyNewsTribune.com, February 14, 2008

Waltham nursing home added to list of problem facilities, Boston.com, February 12, 2008


Related Web Resources:

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

1987 Nursing Home Reform Act

Piety Corner Nursing Home, Hospital-Data.com

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December 21, 2007

Massachusetts Group Home Fires Staff Members for Administering Electrical Shocks to Teenagers

In Massachusetts, the Judge Rotenberg Educational Center fired seven staff members for administering dozens of electrical shocks to two emotionally disturbed teenagers because a caller pretending to be a supervisor told them to do so.

Six of the fired staff members worked the graveyard shift at the center’s Stoughton group home. A seventh worker worked in video surveillance at the center’s Canton main office. It was his job to monitor activity at the group home through remote surveillance.

According to a state report, the six staff members followed the caller’s orders to awaken teenagers in the middle of the night and shock them, sometimes with their legs and arms tied.

The caller wanted the teenagers punished for their bad behavior that had supposedly been observed through surveillance cameras. Even though the six staff members did not notice this supposed bad behavior, they administered the shock treatments.

Over a nearly three hour time period, starting at 2am, one teenager was shocked 29 times. The other teenager was shocked 77 times.

Other residents at the home woke up to the screaming teenagers and tried to convince the staffers that the victims didn’t do anything wrong. One resident suggested that the caller was a prankster. One of the staff members finally called the main office and was told that no punishments were ordered.

The Rotenberg center is known for its controversial electrical shock treatments. Students at the center are mentally retarded, autistic, or have behavior problems.

If you or someone you love was abused at a group home, a nursing home, or any other type of residential care facility, you should speak with a Massachusetts nursing home abuse attorney immediately.

Care facilities and their staff are supposed to provide proper care to patients—not abuse or neglect or assault them. All residents of care facilities have legal rights that protect them. If these rights are violated and a patient is injured or killed, a personal injury claim or wrongful death lawsuit may be brought.

Group home fires 7 on staff, Boston.com, December 21, 2007

Prank led school to treat two with shock, Boston.com, December 18, 2007


Related Web Resource:

Judge Rotenberg Educational Center

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August 9, 2007

Former Certified Nursing Assistant Pleads Guilty To Assaulting Senior Patient at Nursing Home

Maria Cruz, a former Certified Nursing Assistant, pled guilty to assault and battery of an elderly person that she had been taking care of at a nursing home. As part of Cruz’s probation, Lawrence District Court Judge Barbara Pearson has ordered her to stay away from the victim, the two witnesses, and the Sutton Hill Center Nursing Home.

Cruz is also forbidden from taking care of any elderly person in any way or from ever working in a senior nursing home setting. She also has to undergo an anger management evaluation and 100 hours of community service.

Authorities say that in 2006, Cruz stepped on an 86-year-old patient’s face and swore at her. Two Certified Nursing Assistants witnessed the incident and they reported Cruz, 46, to the DPH (Department of Public Health) and the Attorney General’s Office. She was fired after an investigation and suspension.

A recent Congressional Report says that 1/3rd of the 17,000 nursing homes in the U.S. have been cited for some form of nursing home abuse.

Elder abuse at a nursing home can consist of physical violence, verbal violence, sexual abuse, and emotional violence. Nursing home neglect, where caretakers at a nursing home neglect to take proper care of an elderly patient, is another form of abuse. Staff inattention, overlooking signs of illnesses, not giving a patient timely and proper medical care (medical neglect), and unsanitary or dangerous living conditions, are all forms of nursing home negligence.

Sings of nursing home abuse can consist of severe dehydration, unexplained cuts or bruises, bedsores, and sudden weight loss.

The Nursing Home and Abuse and Neglect Center says that a person may be a victim of emotional or verbal abuse at a nursing home if he or she seems:

• Emotionally upset or agitated
• Extremely withdrawn and non-communicative
• Exhibits unusual behavior (sucking, biting, rocking)
• Exhibits humiliating, insulting, frightening, or threatening behavior towards family and friends
• Wants to be isolated from other people
• Ignores family and friends

North Andover Nursing Assistant Pleads Guilty to Assaulting an Elderly Nursing Home Patient, The Office of Massachusetts Attorney General, August 8, 2007

Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect News

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Resource Center


Related Web Resource:

Information Sources for Elder Law

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