It seems like nursing home abuse and neglect is always making the headlines. Now, the Ridgecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Deland Florida is being investigated for abuse, following the events that took place regarding a 76-year-old patient of the center.
Graystone Healthcare Management owns Ridgecrest and operates 28 other nursing homes in Florida, Indiana and Ohio.
A 76-year-old unidentified patient broke two legs and a shoulder after falling out of her bed, and had to wait approximately 12 hours before she was treated. The fall occurred at 5 am as her bedding was being changed, according to DeLand police Deputy Chief Randel Henderson. The patient was returned to her bed after the accident occurred, and it was 4:42 that afternoon before emergency workers were brought in to tend to her injuries, after shift change at the center. According to the Daytona Beach News Journal, the patient was finally admitted to the Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach.
The matter is currently being reviewed by the Agency for Health Care Administration, which is responsible for 31 nursing homes in two counties in Florida. The last inspection of Ridgecrest Nursing and Rehabilitation Center took place during October, and nine deficiencies were noted at that time. These deficiencies included food storage issues and accident hazards, according to reports in Daytona Beach News Journal.
Too often today, reports similar to this lead the news headlines. It seems that neglect and abuse of our elderly family members is on the rise, with no end in sight. It is widely known that there is a shortage of nurses and other professionals in the healthcare field, but this is no excuse for the treatment these elderly individuals often fall victim to.
We place our elderly loved ones in these facilities so that they can be cared for and given the medical attention they need. They should be bathed, given medications on time, fed nutritious meals and closely monitored to insure that falls are not a worry. This is rarely the case, and putting our trust in these facilities is becoming harder to do.
If your loved one has been injured, abused or neglected in a nursing home or elder care facility, contact a reputable New York nursing home neglect or abuse lawyer at once.
