Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

Golden LIving is the best known name of a conglomerate of companies that own and operate nursing homes throughout the United States, including Missouri. The company has been based in Fort Smith, Arkansas for several years but has recently announced that their corporate headquarters will be moving to the Dallas, Texas area. One of the nursing homes is Golden LivingCenter - Westwood, which is a 120 bed nursing home facility located in Clinton, Missouri. In this blog, we will look at the recent survey scores for this facility.

In the past three years, the Golden LivingCenter - Westwood inspection deficiency record remained well below the average number of health deficiencies in Missouri. Golden LivingCenter - Westwood was cited for five deficiencies in the 2010 reporting period, two deficiencies in the 2009 reporting period, and four deficiencies in the 2008 reporting period. The average number of nursing home deficiencies in Missouri is seven. While this sounds good, federal reviewers still determined that the facility only deserved a rating of three stars, 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 - Westwood was cited for four infections in the 2010 reporting period. Inspectors for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid cited this facility twice in June 2010 for failing to provide each resident with professional services that followed a written care plan and that met a professional standard of quality.

Bedsores are one of the most serious problems a nursing home resident can face and should be a top concern for Missouri nursing homes. Just last year, Golden LivingCenter - Westwood was cited for failing to provide residents with the treatment necessary to prevent new bed sores from developing or healing existing bed sores. Unfortunately, nursing home residents who develop bedsores often develop a systemic infection called sepsis that leads to death. Bedsores are painful and undignified as well.

This facility was also cited for its failure to ensure that residents who could not care for themselves received help with eating/drinking, grooming, and hygiene.

Golden LivingCenter - Westwood drew the attention of state investigators in 2009 in the area of mistreatment when it failed to write and use policies that forbid mistreatment, neglect, and abuse of residents and theft of their property. Without a policy, it is impossible to provide proper training in these areas.

It is important that the nursing home environment free from dangers that cause accidents for the safety and well-being of their residents. Golden LivingCenter - Westwood failed its residents in this respect in 2008, when one of its residents was actually harmed. Additionally, this facility failed to provide much needed housekeeping and maintenance to keep the facility safe and sanitary.