Physical Abuse Allegation Substantiated at Minnesota Facility
Long Prairie Memorial Hospital & C & NC is a long term care facility located in Long Prairie, Minnesota. The facility was recently investigated by the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) for allegations of abuse, which were substantiated.
On May 15, 2008, a facility employee was changing a resident's incontinence pad with the assistance of two staff members. The resident suffered from dementia with delusions and hallucinations. He is cognitively impaired, non-verbal, and dependent on staff for his activities of daily living, including requiring two staff members for incontinence care. That day, the resident needed to stand in order for his personal care to be completed. He was not fully cooperating and kept attempting to sit down. One of the assistants stated, "I bet if you slapped him in the ass he will stand up straight." The employee changing the incontinence paid slapped the resident on the buttocks with an open hand. The employee witnessing the slap said the slap was very loud and on a scale of one to ten, with ten being use of as much force as possible, rated the slap as a "9". The resident "perked up" and looked at one of the facility staff with tears in his eyes.
The facility terminated both the abuser and the witness to the abuse.
