April 2011 Nursing Home Report Card: Golden LivingCenter - Maryville
As a Missouri nursing home abuse lawyer, I am regularly called about potential nursing home abuse and neglect cases. To that end, I regularly review Missouri's nursing homes to see if they are meeting the state and federal regulatory standards. Today, we are looking at Golden LivingCenter - Maryville.
Golden LivingCenter - Maryville is a 105 bed nursing home facility located in Maryville, Missouri. In the past three years, Golden LivingCenter - Maryville's inspection deficiency record has either met or amassed below the average number of health deficiencies in Missouri. Golden LivingCenter - Maryvile was cited for four deficiencies in the 2010 reporting period, seven deficiencies in the 2009 reporting period, and three deficiencies in the 2008 reporting period. The average number of nursing home deficiencies in Missouri is seven. Although the facility was not cited for an extraordinary number of deficiencies, the facility is only rated as a three-star nursing home, according to the system instituted by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid. A three-star rating indicates that the facility is an "average" nursing home facility.
In the area of Quality Care Deficiencies, Golden LivingCenter - Maryville was cited for two infractions per year for the past three years, with one infraction causing actual harm to the residents of the facility. Inspectors for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid cited this facility for failing to provide each resident with the care and services that would achieve or maintain the highest possible quality of life three times in the past three years. The facility was cited in 2010 and 2009 for failure to provide proper treatment to prevent new bed sores from developing or healing existing bed sores, with at least one resident suffering actual harm in 2009 as a direct result of that failure. The facility also failed to ensure that each resident entering the facility without a catheter was not given a catheter unless absolutely necessary.
Golden LivingCenter - Maryville also had problems in 2009 and 2010 in the area of Resident Rights. The facility failed its residents twice in 2009, and actually harmed at least one resident, when it failed to immediately tell a resident's doctor or family member if the resident suffered an injury, there was a major change in the resident's health, or if there was a need to change the resident's treatment. The facility also failed to provide services that met the needs and preferences of each resident and failed to properly hold, secure, and manage each resident's personal money that was deposited with the nursing home facility.
Very few people would argue that nursing home companies are supposed to keep their facilities free from dangers that cause accidents for the well-being of their residents. After all, nursing home residents are among the most vulnerable people in our society. Yet, Golden LivingCenter - Maryville failed its residents in this respect twice in the past two years. Additionally, Golden LivingCenter - Maryville is required by law to provide nutrition, dietary, and housekeeping services to maintain a sanitary, orderly, and comfortable facility. Due to the sheer number of people they care for and the vulnerability of their population, nursing homes are required to have a program in place to prevent the spread of infection. This facility failed to have an infection program in place in 2008.
Elderly people are more susceptible to dehydration and malnutrition, so proper nutrition and hydration is vital for nursing home residents. Without adequate nutrition and hydration, nursing home residents may develop urinary tract infections, bedsores, and other physical maladies. Golden LivingCenter - Maryville was cited for failing to ensure their residents were well-nourished in May 2008.
If your loved one has experienced dehydration, malnutrition, besores, urinary tract infections, or any other area of neglect, you may need to talk to a Missouri personal injury lawyer for advice on how to protect your loved one from future neglect. Contact us today for a free consultation.
Although this facility was cited in a variety of areas pertaining to Health Inspections, Medicare.gov still assessed four out of five stars in the area of Health Inspections. So, why does this facility only have a three star, or average, rating? It appears the problem may lie in the area of Nursing Home Staffing. Frequently, nursing home owners look to cut costs and save money at the expense of its residents by using the bare minimum of required employees. In the case of this facility, Medicare.gov assessed this to be a one-star facility, which, according to its ranking system, classifies it as a "much below average" facility in the area of staffing. The following chart prepared by Medicare.gov provides information pertaining to the total number of care minutes averaged nationally, in Missouri, and at Golden LivingCenter - Maryville:
| National Average | Missouri Average | Golden LivingCenter - Maryville | |
| Total Number of Residents | 93.7 | 74.6 | 83 |
| Total Number of Licensed Nurse Staff Hours per Resident per Day | 1 hour, 24 minutes | 1 hour, 12 minutes | 1 hour, 11 minutes |
| RN Hours per Resident per Day | 36 minutes | 30 minutes | 23 minutes |
| LPN/LVN Hours per Resident per Day | 48 minutes | 42 minutes | 48 minutes |
| CNA Hours per Resident per Day | 2 hours, 24 minutes | 2 hours, 30 minutes | 1 hour, 37 minutes |
As you can see, the highlighted areas show that residents of Golden LivingCenter - Maryville are receiving less care per hour per day than other national or Missouri residents in nearly every cargiver area.
If you suspect that your loved one may be suffering from abuse or neglect at the hands of nursing home employees, contact Missouri Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer David Terry for a free, no-obligation consultation at 1-888-317-2525 or 314-878-9797.
