A six-month-long investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health determined that the Owatonna Care Center neglected an 84-year-old resident before his death. Staff at the facility forgot to administer the resident’s anti-anxiety medication for 10 days, according to a report from Minnesota Public Radio. After realizing their mistake, the staff “administered 10 times the prescribed amount.” The resident was found dead in his room the next morning.
This 55-bed nursing home is has an overall rating of “much below average” by Medicare, and has received a “much below average” health inspection rating based on the government’s annual inspections of the facility. The average number of deficiencies for Minnesota nursing homes is 7.2. Owatonna Care Center received 13 deficiencies in its December 2011 inspection and 18 deficiencies in its October 2010 inspection. Deficiencies cited by Medicare include Owatonna Care Center’s failure to make sure services provided by the nursing home meet professional standards of quality, failure to develop policies that prevent mistreatment, neglect, or abuse of residents, and failure to hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents, among other failures.
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.
