In an effort to raise awareness of neglect and abuse inflicted upon nursing home patients across the United States, we will periodically publish a composite of recent events reported by the news media.
Medication Abuse – Pennsylvania
According to NBC News, a 41-year-old Pennsylvania nursing home nurse who was previously charged with the murder of two of her patients has now been charged with seventeen additional counts of attempted murder and nineteen counts of neglect of a care-dependent person. The Pennsylvania nurse is allegedly responsible for the untimely death of seventeen of her own patients across numerous Pennsylvania nursing homes. She had been allegedly injecting her patients with lethal doses of insulin, even taking additional measures to try to kill the victims that she could sense might “pull through”, according to the article.
According to the report, the Pennsylvania nurse came to the attention of authorities after a family member of a patient who had died told the Bureau of Narcotics Investigation and Drug Control that the nurse was involved in the “improper administration of insulin at Quality Life Service”. The investigation by authorities ultimately found a “pattern” of abusive behavior that led to the nurse either resigning or being terminated from numerous jobs, per the report.
If you want to read the full article from NBC, you can find it here.
General Abuse – Scranton, PA
According to a Fox 56 article, three caregivers from a Scranton care home have been charged with abuse. The charges come after a two-year investigation and the alleged abuse of thirty-seven care dependent individuals, per the report. In March of 2021, an inspection into the facility revealed black mold, the odor of feces and urine in the halls, and fecal matter smeared on bathroom toilets. Fox 56 news reports that there was also the discovery of exposed wires, water leaks, bedbugs, empty oxygen tanks, and fire code violations.
Police reports from November 1st, 2021 show that a resident of the facility called 911, notifying authorities that there were no employees or staff in the facility, according to the story. After investigating the call, police found that there was only one employee working at the facility that day.
According to the report, a neighbor of the facility even stated: “As I was walking around, I couldn’t believe the conditions the people were living in, it was pretty deplorable.”
If you want to read the full article, you can find it here.
Elder Care Audit – Arizona
A state-funded audit in Arizona has found a significant lack of care for the vulnerable elderly in care facilities, according to a news report. One of the main findings of the audit is that the Arizona’s Adult Protective Services program lacks direction and tangible outcomes. Out of 82,000 reports of maltreatment reviewed from 2020 to 2022, only 1% of the reports substantiated abuse, neglect, or exploitation, per the report. Many other states have around a 30% substantiation rate on maltreatment complaints and investigations. The Arizona Adult Protective Services department verified maltreatment in 20% of cases, but did not substantiate it for a number of reasons, including the inability to name a perpetrator or identifying cause, according to the news report.
If you would like to read the full article, you can find it here.
These stories offer stark reminders of how common nursing home neglect and abuse is, and the need to stay vigilant and look for any signs of neglect or abuse of a loved one in a nursing home. The importance of reporting nursing home abuse cannot be understated.
If you believe you may have a potential nursing home lawsuit, the Powless Law Firm, P.C. would like to help you. Request a free case consultation today by calling us toll free at 877-769-5377 or by submitting your information through our contact-us form.