Ohio Elder Abuse and Violations Result In Closing of Ohio Nursing Home
Wright & Schulte LLC, an Ohio Personal Injury Firm Note The Closing Of An Ohio Nursing Home After Numerous Violation Went Unattended and Reports of Ohio Elder Abuse
Ohio state officials are moving 37 residents out of a Gahanna nursing home that is closing down after investigation by the Ohio Department of Health exposed reports of Ohio elder abuse and numerous violations. Wright & Schulte LLC, an Ohio personal injury law firm looking out for the rights of Ohio’s elderly, has learned the Department of Health is closing down the facility after it failed to correct numerous state and federal violations. The final closing occurred after investigations conducted by the Ohio Department of health found violations that posed, “real and present danger” and “immediate jeopardy” to the residents according to the inspection reports.
The Department of Health investigated the nursing home between March 14, 2014 and August 11, 2014 in a total of five investigations. Four investigations took place due to customer complaints, and one inspection was simply a biannual inspection given to all nursing homes in Ohio. The facility, Bon-Ing, was a 93-bed facility with a current total of 37 residents at the time of closure. During the inspection, the inspectors found the facility did not adopt preventive measures that would stop problems and it did not have enough staff members to address problems if they did occur. Federal officials terminated Bon-Ing’s Medicare and Medicaid provider agreements on August 19. [http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2014/08/15/violations-close-nursing-home.html, August 2014]
Originally, the facility had until September 14th to address its problems, but an inspection report from the Department of Health on August 8th showed that Bon-Ing was unable to keep patients from feeling extreme pain and did not explain medication dosages to patients. The facility also did not supervise patients during smoking breaks or keep up with equipment repairs, which led to the fall of one resident. Staff members were also unable to prevent five residents from harming other residents at the facility. The facility also had an incident report stating that a nurse physically harmed a patient.
A spokesperson for the Department of Health told The Columbus Dispatch that the nursing home has 30 days to appeal the revocation of its licenses. The facility has until September 13 to find new homes for the 37 residents. Ohio’s long-term-care ombudsman, Beverly Laubert, is searching for new homes for the residents. She says since Franklin County doesn’t have a bed shortage in nursing homes, that finding the residents a new home shouldn’t be a problem. In 2014, Laubert’s tram has found new homes for 130 elderly nursing home residents.
Wright & Schulte notes that Bon-Ing is the third nursing home with serious health and safety problems so far this year. In February, Manor in Washington Court House closed after failed inspections and reports of sexual abuse. In July, Ohio Attorney General Mike DeWine closed the Autumn Health Care in Zanesville due to the mistreatment of residents by staff members. If Bon-Ing can fix its problems and complete the appeal before September 19th, then the facility may remain open. However, if the facility does not complete the appeal, the nursing home will close permanently, The Columbus Dispatch reports.
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