The Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) has completed its investigation of neglect concerns at the Colonial Manor Nursing Home in Lakefield, Minnesota. A complaint was filed with the MDH alleging that a resident fell from his wheelchair, resulting in a right hip fracture. The MDH investigated the matter and found that the resident sustained four falls in a five month period. All of the falls consisted of the resident attempting to self-transfer.
The resident’s care plan instructed staff to keep the resident in view when he was in his wheelchair. During the night shift, both nursing staff responded to other resident needs leaving the resident unsupervised. When the resident’s chair alarm sounded, staff found him lying on the floor. Later that morning he went to the emergency room where it was revealed that he suffered a fractured hip. Staff was unable to provide necessary supervision during the night shift as directed by the resident’s careplan. As a result, he was left unsupervised, fell and sustained a fractured hip. The MDH determined that Colonial Manor Nursing Home was responsible for neglect of the facility’s resident. [Case no. H5572008]
Medicare evaluates nursing homes, including this 37-bed nursing home facility. Medicare has assigned an overall rating to Colonial Manor Nursing Home as a “below average” facility. In addition, Medicare has assigned an overall rating to Colonial Manor Nursing Home as a “below average” facility based on the government’s health inspections of the facility. Deficiencies cited by Medicare include Colonial Manor Nursing Home’s failure to:
- Provide necessary care and services to maintain the highest well being of each resident;
- Conduct initial and periodic assessments of each resident’s functional capacity;
- Provide enough notice before discharging or transferring a resident;
- Store, cook, and serve food in a safe and clean way;
- Maintain comfortable and safe temperature levels;
- Make sure the nursing home area is free from accident hazards and risks and provide supervision to prevent avoidable accidents;
- Develop policies that prevent mistreatment, neglect, or abuse of residents or theft of resident property; and
- Hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating residents or report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of residents.
If you believe your loved one has been harmed due to a nursing home’s neglect, take action and contact the Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm online or call us toll-free at (877) 552-2873 to set up a no-cost, no-obligation consultation.
