A Westchester County nursing home in Briarcliff, New York was fined by the U.S. Federal Government recently to the tune of $38,150 following substandard care findings stemming from a September 2009 investigation. Elant at Brandywine was fined after surveyors found that systems for monitoring and preventing residents that have wandering behaviors and cognitive impairment were inadequate. The nursing home was cited according to the inspection report. This left residents with the ability to exit the facility and wander about undetected, which puts them in danger of getting lost or being injured.
A resident who was cognitively impaired eloped from Elant at Brandywine two days before surveyors investigated, then wandered out again during the night. About 3 1/2 hours later, the resident was found by a staff member who was on her way to work more than 3 miles away from the facility. Given the residents medical history, she should have been wearing a Wanderguard monitoring device, but staff members had not placed the device on her. As a result of this incident, the nursing home received an immediate jeopardy citation, which is the most serious classification.
Nursing home residents with dementia or Alzheimer’s are at serious risk when not properly monitored and capable of leaving a facility without supervision. Elopement can and often does result in fractures, falls, heat stroke, hypothermia and other serious injuries.
Cases like this are unfortunate, and represent the neglect that takes place in many of our nursing homes today. While this isn’t the same type of neglect as failing to administer medications or food, failing to monitor residents who may wander off and hurt themselves is still not acceptable.
If your loved one suffers from dementia, Alzheimer’s or other cognitive behavioral problems, it is essential that a nursing home facility take the proper precautions to prevent wandering or elopement. Contact a reputable New York nursing home abuse lawyer if you feel that proper precautionary measures are not being taken to protect your loved one from neglect and possible injuries.
If yourself or a loved one is injured in another personal injury incident, please consider contacting Brown Chiari; personal injury attorneys NY.
