Three Iowa Nursing Homes Fined for Alleged Neglect - Part I
The Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals has fined three Iowa nursing homes after finding residents in their care were being neglected. The facilities affected are: Golden Age Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation, Griffin Nursing Center, and Sunnybrook of Adel.
Golden Age Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation
This facility faces approximately $20,000 in fines after the facility was found to have willfully disregarded open wounds on a defenseless resident's arm, leg, and toes. The wounds were only discovered after the resident was taken to the hospital for shortness of breath and hospital workers uncovered the wounds. According to a hospital nurse, she found the wounds when she smelled a foul odor and pulled down the resident's socks. She found a blackened, open wound the size of a half-dollar that was oozing.
Twenty caregivers at the facility denied knowing that the resident had these wounds, even though the resident was scheduled to have regular skin assessments and baths. Both the facility's Administrator and Director of Nursing expressed shock after seeing photographs of the resident's wounds. Sadly, this resident died 16 days after these wounds were discovered by the hospital staff.
Golden Age has been rated a one star facility overall by Medicare.gov, which is defined as "Much Below Average". In its most recent year of inspections, this facility had 10 deficiencies compared to an Iowa average of 7.
