Inadequate Care for Nursing Home Residents Pose Safety Concern

February 18, 2014 | Crandall & Pera Law
Inadequate Care for Nursing Home Residents Pose Safety Concern

An Ohio nursing home with a history of taking on high-need patients is facing imminent shutdown after it was found, among other violations, to not be able to meet the needs of every resident, according to a recent article in The Columbus Dispatch. Among the 130 people currently living at Carlton Manor in Fayette County, 27 are registered sex offenders. Diagnoses for high-need residents include schizophrenia, explosive personality disorder, traumatic brain injury, bipolar disorder, alcoholism, habitual cocaine use and suicidal. As the state looks for new homes for the residents, it rekindles a debate over how to best achieve high-quality care for residents with violent backgrounds. In Ohio, there is no special licensing or designation for nursing homes that care for violent residents, mentally ill patients or ex-cons. To keep its operating license, however, a nursing home must prove that it has the proper care plans and properly trained employees to handle every resident. "If a nursing home like Carlton Manor chooses to take on mental-health patients or criminal offenders, they can't say, 'We'll meet most of their needs,' or 'We'll meet their needs on average.' It has to meet the needs of every single resident," said Beverly Laubert, the Ohio Department of Aging's long-term-care ombudsman. "And at Carlton Manor, that wasn't done." Read the full details here: Are nursing homes high-need residents at high risk? Nursing home negligence, neglect and even punitive conduct unfortunately occurs daily in the U.S. Many loved ones are unfortunately injured in nursing homes. If you or someone you love has been injured due to nursing home abuse or negligence, call the professionals at Crandall & Pera Law for a free case evaluation. Crandall & Pera Law is available to help answer your questions and guide you in determining your next steps.