Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

Recently, senior citizens in Port Wentworth, Georgia were told by Senior Citizens, Inc., an organization that operates a senior citizens' center, that they could not pray at meals that were paid for with federal funding, but they could observe a moment of silence.

After questioning by Fox News and other news organizations, it seems that Senior Citizens, Inc. has had a change of heart. In a statement released by the senior center, it said, "...Over our years of service, we have been instructed, as recently as two weeks ago, by the state regulatory agency that verbal prayer was not allowed at any senior center. We are so pleased to say that we have been contacted by a few minutes ago by the new Director of Aging clarifying the regulation and reversing the position of new verbal prayer..."

Senior citizens at a Port Wentworth, Georgia senior citizen facility have been forbidden to pray. At least, they have been forbidden to pray at meals that have been provided by Senior Citizens, Inc.

Senior citizen visitors at the Ed Young Senior Citizens Center have been instructed that they cannot pray before their meals due to a federal guideline. According to the Vice President of Senior Citizens, Inc., Tim Rutherford, they are contracted by the City of Port Wentworth to provide meals to the elderly and, because those meals are paid for with mostly federal money, they cannot pray before meals. These meals, which consist of baked chicken, steak tips, rice, and salads, typically cost approximately $6 per plate. Seniors pay 55 cents per meal and federal funding absorbs the remainder of the cost.

Rutherford instituted a moment of silence before the meal rather than allow the seniors to pray aloud and offend federal authorities.

The Mayor of Port Wentworth is searching for an alternative, which may include cancelling the contract with Senior Citizens, Inc.

Tamera Smith

We discussed Tamera Smith and the crimes she committed at Tara Nursing Home in Thunderbolt, Georgia in previous blogs. Smith, along with her cousin, was accused of using personal information of residents and employees of Tara Nursing Home and using it to obtain computers, digital cameras, cell phones, and charge accounts for her personal use.

Smith pleaded guilty to over thirty counts of identity fraud, computer thefts, and elder abuse. She was sentenced to six years, five of which she will spend in prison.

The Terry Law Firm is experienced in handling cases of nursing home abuse. Please contact us with any questions or concerns at (888) 317-2525 or visit us on our website at www.nursinghomejustice.com.

Wayne Dawn, Jr., manager of the Pleasant Valley Assisted Living Center in Dalton, Georgia, has opted to plead guilty to drug theft. Dawn had previously plead "not guilty" to elder abuse charges and multiple counts of drug possession.

Dawn was arrested in October 2008 and charged with six felony counts of cruelty to a person 65 or older, six misdemeanor counts of theft by taking, six misdemeanor counts of reckless conduct, three counts of felony possession of hydrocodone, one felony count of possession of darvocet, and two felony counts of possession of tramodol. Allegedly, Dawn took drugs belonging to residents and replaced them with other drugs.

The Terry Law Firm is experienced in handling cases of nursing home abuse and neglect. Please contact us with any questions or concerns at (888) 317-2525 or visit us on our website at www.nursinghomejustice.com.

Tamara Smith

We discussed nursing home identity thieves in our previous blog. Cousins Tamara Smith and Teresa Robbins reportedly stole the identities of 43 people, approximately half of whom were residents of Tara Nursing Home in Thunderbolt, Georgia. The cousins faced approximately 101 charges ranging from identity theft to fraud. Unfortunately, a loophole in the law will allow 26 of those charges to be dropped. Georgia law identifies an elder person as a person 65 years of age or older that is not a resident of a long term care facility. Therefore, 26 charges must be dropped. Captain James Pierce of the Thunderbolt Police Department intends to go through each date the perpetrators used someone's personal information either to order credit cards or purchase cell phones and determine whether or not that victim was a resident of a nursing home. Seventy-five charges will remain against the two for using the victim's personal information to purchase computers, cell phones, and open credit cards.

Yvonne Winslow

Yvonnne Winslow, a former nursing home worker at Savannah Specialty Care Center in Savannah, Georgia, sits in jail facing six felony charges, including elderly abuse. Winslow alleged took a debit card belonging to Ron and Charlotte Miller from their room and used it at area businesses. She has admitted her involvement to investigating authorities.

Tamara Smith

Tamara Smith sits in jail accused of stealing the identities of at least 43 nursing home residents. Smith accessed the personal information of several nursing residents through her former job of certified nursing assistant at Tara Nursing Home in Thunderbolt, Georgia. In fact, over half of her victims are current or former residents of the facility, who range in age from 60 to 100. The residents' personal information was used to buy computers, cell phones, and open credit card accounts.

A single family's complaint 15 months ago triggered the investigation. The number of victims continues to grow and more arrests are expected. It is the largest case of identity theft ever seen in Thunderbolt.

The Terry Law Firm is experienced in handling cases of nursing home abuse and neglect. Please contact us at 1 (888) 317-2525 or visit us at www.nursinghomejustice.com.