On June 24, 2013, the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) substantiated the occurrence of abuse of a resident at the Lakeside Medical Care Center nursing home in Pine City, Minnesota. [Report no. H5374010]
The MHD investigation determined that an employee of the facility slapped the resident in her face in an abusive attempt to manage the resident’s behavior. The resident is severely cognitively impaired and has little verbal communication. She is dependent upon staff for dressing, grooming, and bathing.
Lakeside Medical Center’s nursing home is a 46-bed facility. Medicare rates the nursing home as “below average” for Health Inspections. Compared to the average number of health deficiencies for Minnesota nursing homes (6.3), Lakeside Medical Center was cited with 10 deficiencies in its most recent inspection in 2012. These citations include the facility’s:
- Failure to develop policies that prevent mistreatment, neglect, or abuse of residents or theft of resident property;
- Failure to make sure services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality;
- Failure to provide care by qualified persons according to each resident’s written plan of care;
- Failure to provide necessary care and services to maintain the highest well being of each resident;
- Failure to assist those residents who need total help with eating/drinking, grooming and personal and oral hygiene;
- Failure to make sure that residents with reduced range of motion get proper treatment and services to increase range of motion; and
- Failure to check and assess each resident’s assessment at least every 3 months.
Lakeside Medical Center also received more deficient citations in its previous inspections in 2011 (12 deficiencies, compared to the state average of 7.5 for that period) and 2010 (8 deficiencies, compared to the state average of 6.9). These prior citations include the facility’s:
- Failure to 1) hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting or mistreating residents; or 2) report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect or mistreatment of residents;
- Failure to develop policies that prevent mistreatment, neglect, or abuse of residents or theft of resident property; and
- Failure to provide care by qualified persons according to each resident’s written plan of care.
The Kosieradzki • Smith Law Firm represents clients in cases involving catastrophic injury caused by nursing homes and other care facilities that fail to provide proper care. If you believe your loved one has been harmed due neglect or abuse in a nursing home, 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.
