Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

Three nursing home groups in Missouri regularly make payday loans to their employees at high interest rates which are repaid through payroll deduction. Members of these groups, headquartered in Sikeston, Missouri, include the following: James and Judy Lincoln, Mathias Dasal, Gary Crane, Timothy Drake, and Don Bedell. These individuals operate a combined total of 92 nursing home facilities.

Missouri legislators have become increasingly intolerant of predatory lending in Missouri nursing homes and have introduced House Bill Number 1509 which, if passed, will make it illegal for nursing home payday lenders "to facilitate, encourage, solicit, advertise, or provide unsecured loans of $500 or less on the premises of any nursing home property or any residential care facility, assisted living facility, intermediate care facility, or skilled nursing facility.

House Bill 1509 was sponsored by Mary Still (D-Boone) and co-sponsored by John Burnett (D-Kansas City).

House Bill 1509 is not yet law and faces several hurdles before it reaches the governor's desk.

Dr. David Quang Pham, DPM, pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of criminal investigation of healthcare offenses relating to false billing to Medicare and Medicaid. The offense carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.

Dr. Pham treated residents at nursing homes and residences for elderly adults. The facilities he provided services to were: Abbey Care Center, Alexian Court Apartments, Beverly Farm (IL), Claru Deville Nursing Center, Columbia Convalescent Center (IL), Creve Coeur Manor, Delmar Gardens of Chesterfield, Four Fountains Convalescent Center (IL), Grand Manor Nursing and Rehabilitation, Hillside Manor Healthcare and Rehab Center, Normandy Nursing Center, Ozark Manor Residential Care Center, Parkview Apartments, Rancho Manor Health Care and Rehab Center, Rosewood Care Center (IL), St. Paul's Home (IL), St. Elizabeth Healthcare, The Cedars at the JCA, and University Forest Nursing Care Center.

After discovering he was being investigated for health care fraud, Dr. Pham created false treatment notes to support the claim that services that had been provided, when in fact they had not. Responding to a subpoena from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Inspector General, these notes were provided. Dr. Pham, a podiatrist, allegedly submitted claims for treating the feet of patients who had undergone amputation prior to the date of service. He also falsely claimed to have provided services to nursing home residents who were hospitalized on the dates he reportedly provided his services. Dr. Pham's assistant, who is unlicensed as a physician or a nurse, was also allowed to provide services. Reportedly, Dr. Pham submitted false claims and medical records to Medicare and Medicaid for at least five years.

A St. Louis County, Missouri nursing home was forced to close its doors and relocate its residents after county officials found unsanitary and unsafe conditions at the facility.

Whispering Oaks nursing home "had among its problems no running water, overflowing toilets, human waste on the floor and a fire risk caused by an inoperable sprinkler system", according to a news release from County Executive Charlie A. Dooley. According to Metro West Fire Officials, the well that supplied water to the facility had frozen.

Forty to fifty residents were transferred, some of whom relocated to the The Loving Care Home, located in St. Louis City.

According to the Missouri Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the DNR asked the state attorney general to take appropriate action after the facility's water failed to meet state water standards and the water system had been improperly modified. The DNR "contacted the business owners of this site multiple times but has not received an adequate response".

The facility has also had problems in the past. In May 2007, a resident died after suffering an asthma attack. An investigation revealed that facility staff were not trained on how to appropriately respond to the situation. In 2008, a variety of complaints led to an investigation that revealed that residents had been yelled at, cursed at, threatened, and touched in appropriately by a former staff member.

A Missouri nursing home may not be allowed to reopen if the Missouri Attorney General has anything to say about it.

The Missouri Attorney General's Office filed emergency requests on January 14, 2010 in St. Louis County Circuit Court requesting that Whispering Oaks nursing home remain closed and be fined up to $400 per day until the home comes into compliance with state drinking water laws. Additionally, the state health department had already been trying to close the facility after repeated problems with fire and safety violations, inadequate supervision, and improper handling of prescription drugs.

Naren Chaganti, the facility's owner, alleges that a company that operates a cell phone tower located on top of the facility's water tank dislodged the heat shield that kept the tank from freezing. The owner also said that he had removed space heaters from the facility's water pump room after a request to do so by the state health department. Twenty-nine of the facility's residents were transferred to Loving Care Home in St. Louis City, which is owned by Chaganti's brother, Surendra Chaganti.

Chaganti, who practices law in California, is unsure if he will reopen the facility.

C. Kent Harrington, the owner of the Cathedral Rock nursing homes in St. Louis, Missouri, pleaded guilty January 7, 2010 to criminal charges and admitted to knowingly providing substandard care to his nursing home residents. He has agreed to pay $1.6 million as part of a global settlement.

Two whistle-blowing employees filed a civil lawsuit in 2003 against Cathedral Rock Corp and its affiliated companies. A criminal health care fraud charge has also been filed against Harrington, but that charge has been deferred as part of the global settlement of criminal charges that generated from the initial lawsuit.

U.S. Attorney Dorothy McMurtry alleged that staff at the facilities falsified drug records and doctored charts, as well as inflating the hours billed Medicaid and Medicare for patient care. Services provided at the facilities were alleged to be grossly inadequate. McMurtry also alleged that Harrington and other upper level staff members knew of the insufficient care.

Cathedral Rock operated Spring Place Care Center and McLaran Care Center in St. Louis, Oak Forest Skilled Care in Ballwin, Cathedral Gardens Care Center in North St. Louis County, and Blanchette Place Care Center in St Charles. Spring Place closed in 2004, McLaran was no longer operated by Cathedral Rock as of 2005, and Cathedral Rock "ceased operating" the other three facilities as of December 31, 2009.

Sheriff's deputies were called to the Baisch Nursing Center in DeSoto, Missouri on Saturday, October 24, 2009, after receiving a report that gunshots had been fired at the facility.

After arriving at the facility, deputies found 70 year old James Stallings screaming at his wife, 68 year old Carolyn Stallings, a dietitian at the nursing home facility. Stallings shoved his wife to the ground and, at one point, got into a vehicle while holding a gun to his wife's stomach. Carolyn Stallings managed to break free of James Stallings' hold and tried to escape, but James Stallings shot her in the back. A tactical officer at the scene shot James Stallings, killing him instantly. Carolyn Stallings was immediately flown to a hospital, where she died.

The Stallings' had separated and Carolyn Stallings had obtained a protection order against her husband. Her son, Randy Crews, told KMOV-TV that he was not surprised about the violence from his stepfather, saying, "He had told her many times that if she ever tried to leave, he would kill her and himself if he had to. I knew when I got here today he wouldn't leave alive."

The facility went into lockdown mode after a co-worker of the victim was fired upon by James Stallings and saw what was happening.

Some Missouri nursing homes are now in the business of providing payday loans to their employees. According to officials with the Better Business Bureau, more than ninety Missouri nursing homes make payday loans to their employees at exorbitant rates of interest. Repayment of the loan, interest, and applicable fees are deducted from the employee's next paycheck.

Reportedly, Missouri permits payday loan lenders to change an annual percentage (APR) of up to 1,950% on a two week loan and there is not a set interest percentage rate for the facilities to charge. The BBB determined one Missouri nursing home facility was charging employees an APR of 912.5%, another facility charged their employees 365%, and yet another charged their employees 304%.

Missouri state inspectors discovered the payday loan operation in 2006 and moved to ban payday loans from nursing home sites. Instead, nursing home operators made it possible for employees to take out payday loans online using computer terminals located at the facility.

Missouri nursing homes making payday loans are required to be licensed. The nursing home principals holding payday loan licenses for 62 Missouri nursing homes are: James and Judy Lincoln, Sikeston, Missouri; Mathias Dasal, Eldon, Missouri; Gary Crane of Rogers, Arkansas; and Timothy Drake of Pascagoula, Mississippi. Don Bedell of Sikeston, Missouri holds a payday loan license for 30 Missouri nursing homes.

While the arrangement is legal in Missouri, the Better Business Bureau has questioned the ethics of a nursing home employer, who is essentially making money off of the notoriously low wages of their employees, providing high interest rate loans to those very employees.

According to The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Shady Lawn Nursing Home, a nursing home facility located in Savannah, Missouri, failed to substantially comply with Medicare regulations, reportedly resulting in the termination of CMS' agreement with the facility effective August 23, 2009. Termination of that agreement means that the facility would not be paid for any new admissions after that date and payment for any residents admitted on or before that date would cease within thirty days.

Facility Administrator Helen Frye said, "We're waiting for a revisit and we believe we have cleared all deficiencies." Frye declined to provide information on what the deficiencies were.

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

We discussed the tragic abuse of Benny Crowley at the hands of CNA Dennis Rowe in a previous blog.

Dennis Rowe was convicted of second-degree elder abuse sentenced on August 10, 2009 to five years in prison for abusing a brain-injured nursing home resident at Carthage Health and Rehab in Carthage, Missouri. Rowe allegedly struck the resident in the groin and face and forced water down his nose into his lungs through his oxygen tubing in an effort to "control" the resident.

Allegedly, another employee was witness to the abuse after asking Rowe how he was able to "handle" Crowley. Rowe responded by simply walking up to Crowley in his wheelchair and hit him in the testicles. Then, Rowe smacked Crowley in his face and mocked him. Rowe also grabbed a water canister that was attached to Crowley's oxygen concentrator and held it up so that water washed down the tubing into Crowley's nose and lungs, causing him to choke.

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

Older adults sometimes are considered "frail" and unable to defend themselves. Sometimes, due to illness or medication issues, older adults are dependent upon others for bill paying or chores. These type situations can lead to abuse of older adults. While abuse is oftentimes physical or mental, it can also be emotional or financial.

If you are an older adult, you can help protect yourself from abuse by following these simple steps:

Know Abuse Warning Signs - Are you being fed properly and regularly? Are you being restrained? Does someone caring for you yell or hit you? Have you noticed strange charges on your credit card or large withdrawals from your bank account? If so, you could be in an abusive situation. Try to talk to someone you trust, such as a doctor, nurse, or relative. If you can't reach anyone, call your state's elder abuse hot line.

See Your Physician Regularly - Regular physician visits can spot abuse. Frequently, health care providers will notice signs of abuse, such as bruising, cuts, or broken bones, and will work with you to get help. Remember - answer your doctor's questions honestly.

Avoid Isolation - Stay connected and involved with life. Join a senior organization or join a group at your church. Ask people over to watch a television show, play cards, or just visit. Abusers can't target you if you are out and about.

Arrange Your Finances - Put your financial affairs in order. Make sure that you have someone that you completely trust lined up to make decisions for you - both medical and financial - if you are ever in a position that you can't do so. Prepare a Power of Attorney or appoint a guardian. Don't ever sign legal documents before allowing someone you trust to review them.

Watch Your Money - Watch your bank statements and credit cards for any strange withdrawals or charges. If you need help paying bills, you can arrange with the bank for direct deposits and automatic bill payments. Don't give out your credit card, social security or bank account numbers to anyone you don't know or by telephone. Remember to keep your valuables and banking information in a safe place. Try to stay involved with your financial affairs, even if it's only opening your own mail.

Caregivers - If you have to rely on a caregiver, try to research the agency you are going to rely upon. Call your local Better Business Bureau and ask your doctor or someone else you trust for their opinion on the business.

The Terry Law Firm is experienced in handling cases of nursing home abuse and neglect. If you or a loved one has any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us at (888) 317-2525 or visit us on our website at www.nursinghomejustice.com.

Former Republican Missouri Governor Matt Blunt, who made denying elderly citizens their right to obtain justice when they are abused or neglected by the nursing home industry a focal point of his 2004 campaign, collided with a scooter driver while driving his SUV on Monday, June 8, 2009. Blunt's Ford Explorer hit a 21 year old man driving a scooter at the intersection of Kickapoo Avenue and Cherry Street in Springfield, Missouri. David Catanese, the scooter operator, is the son of Kellie Rohrbaugh, who works for the Missouri Democrats. Catanese was taken to a local hospital with scrapes on his forearm and a bruise on his head.

Blunt was issued a summons for failing to yield the right of way.

Today, everyone is aware of the seriousness of exposing children to sexual predators and most parents are diligent about checking state sexual offender websites for the locations of sex offenders living near their homes or schools. Has anyone ever thought to cross-check the addresses in the registries to see if any are living in local nursing homes? CBS4 I-Team in Florida did.

After performing an address cross-check and finding approximately 80 sex offenders living in Florida nursing homes (some of whom were court-ordered), CBS4 I-Team Investigator Michele Gillen visited nursing homes and group homes to verify these invidiuals were actually residents at the facilities. One 35 year old offender living at an adult home acknowledged his status and explained that his fellow residents were unaware of his status. He is one of two sex offenders living at that facility.

I-Team also visited The Pines nursing home in South Florida. There, the facility houses two sex offenders. I-Team met with the owner, Jules Ast, and Assistant Administrator Alyce Sica and they discussed the state of the art surveillance system the facility has in place. Both emphasized they are very careful about the type of offender allowed into the facility, as they are located within one block of an elementary school. The offender cannot have the ability to self-propel - they must have total assistance with movement. The sex offender residents are also not allowed to wander off on their own. Facililty staff are advised on the sexual offender status of the residents, but other residents are not informed. Assistant Administrator Alyce Sica actually went to the state ten years ago to encourage the state to create special housing for aging felons. "They need people who know how to deal with people who are dangerous," she said.

Wes Bledsoe, founder of A Perfect Cause, is aware of the problem. A Perfect Cause tracks sexual offenders and their crimes, some of whom can be seen on their website. Bledsoe says, "We are warehousing these offenders with disabled elderly people who can't protect themselves and can't tell what happened to them."

Florida residents can check Florida Sexual Offenders and Predators and Missouri residents can check Missouri Sex Offender Registry. For information on sexual predators in Illinois, click here. Like most states, sexual predator information for Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Pennsylvania can also be located online.

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

Earnest Marchibanks and Natalie Vandijk were arraigned in Dent County Circuit Court on charges of felony elder abuse in an April 24, 2009 incident at Seville Residential Care in Salem, Missouri. They are both free on a $10,000 bond.

According to court documents, Mary Nothaus, an 85 year-old facility resident, was injured by Marchibanks and Vandijk when they pushed her in her wheelchair without footrests attached and allowed her feet to drag on the asphalt for more than 800 feet. Ms. Nothaus suffered severe injuries to her toes.

Marchibanks and Vandijk are due in court on May 7, 2009.

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.

Ralph Ekberg's favorite painting was a picture he had purchased in 1965 for $400. The painting was "Summer Clouds" by Edgar Payne, an American impressionist painter. He had no idea of its value - and valuable it was. The painting was worth at least $175,000, according to a California art gallery.

Ralph was asleep in April 2006 when his painting was stolen from the wall in his room at St. John's Mercy Villa in Springfield, Missouri. The thief, a nursing home employee, had no idea of the value of the painting either; he was just hoping to make a few hundred dollars. Micah Owen Shatswell told the Edenhurst Gallery in California that he had gotten the painting from his uncle and sold it to them for $175,000.

After an investigation by the FBI's art crime team, the crime trail led back to Shatswell and he was indicted by a federal grand jury in December 2008 for transporting the stolen painting across state lines. He pleaded guilty to the charge in April 2009 and faces up to ten years in prison, a fine of up to $250,000, and possible restitution. He is awaiting sentencing.

Blanchette Place Care Center is a 180 bed nursing home facility located in St. Louis, Missouri. In the past three years, the Heritage Care Center's inspection deficiency record has surpassed the average number of health deficiencies in Missouri every year. Blanchette Place Care Center received eighteen deficiencies in 2008, eleven deficiencies in 2007, and twenty-two deficiencies in 2006. The average number of nursing home deficiencies in Missouri is nine. Currently, Blanchette Place Care Center is rated as a one-star nursing home according to the new system instituted by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, which is indicative of a facility deemed well below-average facility.

While all nursing home residents deserve to be safe from abuse and neglect, Blanchette Place Care Center failed to ensure its residents' safety when it failed to hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating residents and to report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of residents in 2006.

All nursing home residents deserve professional services that meet a professional standard of quality. This facility failed its residents in this respect multiple times in the past three years. State inspection reports found that Blanchette Place Care Center failed to provide residents the proper treatment to prevent bed sores or to heal existing bed sores at least four times in 2006 and 2008. The State also determined that this facility also failed to ensure that residents unable to care for themselves are provided with assistance with activities of daily living and failed ensure that each resident's nutritional needs are met.

All nursing home residents have the right to be treated fairly and with respect. Blanchette Place Care Center failed its residents when it failed to provide care in such a way that keeps or builds each resident's dignity and self-respect and provide services to meet resident needs. The facility also failed provide proof that all personal money deposited with the nursing home was secure. This facility also failed to immediately tell the resident's physician or personal representative of a change in condition in 2006.

The need for a balanced diet does not end when one becomes a resident of a long-term care facility. State investigation reports show Blanchette Place Care Center failed its residents when it failed to ensure residents were well-nourished and did not store, cook, and distribute food in a safe, clean way. State reports show that this facility was cited for failing to prepare food that is nutritional, appetizing, tasty, attractive, well-cooked, and at the right temperature three times in three years.

A safe, clean, homelike environment is important for nursing home residents to thrive. Blanchette Place Care Center failed to ensure that the nursing home area is free of dangers that could cause accidents at least twice and failed to keep a safe, clean, and homelike environment. The facility also failed to ensure that there was a program in place to prevent or deal with mice, insects, or other pests.

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

The Heritage Care Center is a 120 bed nursing home facility located in St. Louis, Missouri. In the past three years, the Heritage Care Center's inspection deficiency record has surpassed the average number of health deficiencies in Missouri three times. The Heritage Care Center received twelve deficiencies in 2008, ten deficiencies in 2007, and seventeen deficiencies in 2006. The average number of nursing home deficiencies in Missouri is nine. Currently, the Heritage Care Center is rated as a one-star nursing home according to the new system instituted by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, which indicates a well below-average facility.

All nursing home residents deserve to be safe from abuse and neglect. Heritage Care Center failed to ensure its residents' safety when it failed to write and use policies that forbid mistreatment, neglect, and abuse of residents and theft of residents' property in 2008. This facility also failed to hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating residents and to report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of residents in 2006.

All nursing home residents deserve professional services that meet a professional standard of quality. This facility failed its residents in this respect multiple times in the past three years. Heritage Care Center failed to provide residents the proper treatment to prevent bed sores or to heal existing bed sores in 2007. This facility also failed to ensure that residents entering the facility without a catheter is not given one unless necessary in both 2006 and 2008. Heritage also failed to ensure that residents unable to care for themselves are provided with assistance with activities of daily living, and failed ensure that each residents' nutritional needs are met. This facility also failed multiple times in the past three years to provide activities to meet the needs of each resident. Heritage Care Center also failed to give proper treatment to residents with feeding tubes to prevent problems such as aspiration pneumonia, vomiting, and dehydration and did not properly care for residents needing special services, such as injections, colostomy, ileostomy, tracheostomy care, tracheal suctioning, and respiratory care in 2008.

All nursing home residents have the right to be treated fairly and with respect. Heritage Care Center failed its residents when it failed to provide care in such a way that keeps or builds each resident's dignity and self-respect and provide services to meet resident needs. The facility also failed provide proof that all personal money deposited with the nursing home was secure. Heritage Care Center did not have a private telephone available for resident use and did not keep residents' personal and medical records private and confidential. Heritage Care Center also failed to make sure that each resident had the right to choose activities, schedules, and health care according to individual interest, assessments, or plan of care.

It is important in nursing homes that the residents are provided with properly balanced meals so ensure good health. Heritage Care Center failed its residents when it failed to ensure residents were well-nourished and did not store, cook, and distribute food in a safe, clean way.

It is crucial that nursing homes timely provide the correct medication to its residents. Heritage Care Center failed to ensure that residents were safe from serious medication errors in 2008 and failed to keep the medication error rate to less than 5% in 2006.

A safe, clean, homelike environment is important for nursing home residents to thrive. Heritage Care Center failed to ensure that the nursing home area is free of dangers that could cause accidents at least twice and failed to keep a safe, clean, and homelike environment. The facility also failed to ensure that there was a program in place to prevent or deal with mice, insects, or other pests.

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

Dennis Long, 51, was banned several weeks ago from visiting his 84 year old mother, Catherine Long, at St. Sophia Health and Rehabilitation Center in Florissant for exhibiting "bizarre behavior". He came back to the facility Friday morning in an effort to see his mother and was turned away. Angry, Long then took matters into his own hands. At approximately 6:40 a.m., Long deliberately crashed his car into the front door of the nursing home, ending up in the lobby. The car caught fire, critically injuring Long, who is now listed in critical condition at St. John's Mercy Medical Center. The incident also injured one resident of the nursing home. She was taken to the hospital for treatment.

Approximately 180 residents of the facility were evacuated, some of whom were wheeled onto the parking lot in their beds while facility staff waited for the fire department to arrive.

Long's family members are not surprised by his actions. Allegedly, he has been violent many times before and several family members sought a restraining order against him. His threats were so "unnerving" that other nursing homes would not accept his mother as a patient. He threatened the homes in order to get access to see his mother, to whom he was physically and verbally abusive.

Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center is a 128 bed nursing home facility located in St. Louis, Missouri. In the past three years, Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation Center's inspection deficiency record has consistently surpassed the average number of health deficiencies in Missouri. Parkwood received twelve deficiencies in 2008, twenty-six deficiencies in 2007, and fourteen deficiencies in 2006. The average number of nursing home deficiencies in Missouri is nine. Currently, Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation is rated as a one-star nursing home according to the new system instituted by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, which indicates a well below-average facility.

All nursing home residents deserve to be safe from abuse and neglect. In 2007, Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation failed to ensure its residents' safety when it failed to hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating residents and to report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of residents. This facility also failed to write and use policies that forbid mistreatment, neglect, and abuse of residents and theft of residents' property in 2006.

All nursing home residents deserve professional services that meet a professional standard of quality. This facility failed its residents in this respect multiple times in the past three years. Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation also failed to provide residents the proper treatment to prevent bed sores or to heal existing bed sores in 2006, 2007, and 2008. This facility also failed to ensure that residents entering the facility without a catheter is not given one unless necessary in 2006 and 2008. Parkwood also failed to ensure that residents unable to care for themselves are provided with assistance with activities of daily living, and failed ensure that each residents' nutritional needs are met. This facility also failed to give proper treatment to residents with feeding tubes to prevent aspiration pneumonia, vomiting, dehydration, and nasal-pharyngeal ulcers.

Proper medical assessment and treatment is vital to the well-being of nursing home residents. Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation failed its residents multiple times in a three year period when it failed to electronically record and report resident status assessments in a timely manner as required in order to monitor resident health and progress. This facility also failed to develop Care Plans that met all of a resident's needs and to check and update each resident's assessment every three months.

All nursing home residents have the right to be treated fairly and with respect. Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation failed its residents multiple times in the area of resident rights. This facility failed to immediately tell a residents personal representative or physician of changes in the resident's condition, failed to keep each resident's personal and medical records confidential, and failed to properly hold, secure, and manage each resident's personal money deposited with the nursing home facility. The facility also failed to provide proof that the money deposited with the facility was secure.

It is important in nursing homes that the residents are provided with properly balanced meals so ensure good health. Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation failed its residents when it failed to ensure residents were well-nourished and failed to store, cook, and distribute food in a safe, clean way.

Pharmaceutical errors can be deadly to a nursing home resident. Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation failed to keep its rate of medication errors below 5% in 2006 and 2007. Parkwood also failed to have drugs and other similar products which are needed every day and in emergencies on hand and distributed properly in 2006.

A safe, clean, homelike environment is important for nursing home residents to thrive. Parkwood Skilled Nursing and Rehabilitation failed to ensure that the nursing home area is free of dangers that could cause accidents and failed to keep a safe, clean, and homelike environment. The facility failed to ensure that employees washed their hands when necessary and failed to keep a resident apart from others if the resident has an infection that can spread.

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

St. John's Place is a 94 bed nursing home facility located in St. Louis, Missouri. In the past three years, St. John's Place's inspection deficiency record has twice surpassed the average number of health deficiencies in Missouri. St. John's Place received thirteen deficiencies in 2008, fourteen deficiencies in 2007, and eight deficiencies in 2006. The average number of nursing home deficiencies in Missouri is nine. Currently, St. John's Place is rated as a one-star nursing home according to the new system instituted by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, which indicates a well below-average facility.

All nursing home residents deserve to be safe from abuse and neglect. St. John's Place failed to ensure its residents' safety when it failed to hire only people with no legal history of abusing, neglecting, or mistreating residents and to report and investigate any acts or reports of abuse, neglect, or mistreatment of residents.

All nursing home residents deserve professional services that meet a professional standard of quality. This facility failed its residents in this respect multiple times in the past three years. St. John's Place also failed to provide residents the proper treatment to prevent bed sores or to heal existing bed sores, failed to ensure that residents entering the facility without a catheter is not given one unless necessary, failed to ensure that residents unable to care for themselves are provided with assistance with activities of daily living, and failed ensure that each residents' nutritional needs are met. This facility also failed multiple times in the past three years to provide activities to meet the needs of each resident.

All nursing home residents have the right to be treated fairly and with respect. St. John's Place failed its residents multiple times when it failed to develop a complete care plan meeting all of the needs of a resident. The facility also failed ensure that all assessments were accurate, done by the correct professional, and were signed by the person completing them. Residents at this facility were not allowed to easily view the most recent survey for the facility and were not informed about who was eligible for Medicaid benefits and how to apply. St. John's Place also failed to have a private telephone available for resident use.

It is important in nursing homes that the residents are provided with properly balanced meals so ensure good health. St. John's Place failed its residents when it failed to ensure residents were well-nourished and failed to ensure that three meals were provided daily at regular times, failed to serve breakfast within 14 hours after dinner, or offer a snack at bedtime each day. This facility also did not prepare food that was nutritional, well-cooked, appetizing, tasty, and the right temperature and failed to store, cook, and distribute food in a safe, clean way.

A safe, clean, homelike environment is important for nursing home residents to thrive. St. John's Place failed to ensure that the nursing home area is free of dangers that could cause accidents and failed to keep a safe, clean, and homelike environment. The facility did not have a program in place to prevent infection from spreading and did not ensure that staff washed their hands when necessary.

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

The Abbey Care Center is a 126 bed nursing home facility located in St. Louis, Missouri. In the past three years, The Abbey Care Center's inspection deficiency record has either met or surpassed the average number of health deficiencies in Missouri twice. The Abbey Care Center received nine deficiencies in 2008 and seventeen deficiencies in 2007. The average number of nursing home deficiencies in Missouri is nine. Currently, The Abbey Care Center is rated as a one-star nursing home according to the new system instituted by The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid, which indicates a well below-average facility.

All nursing home residents deserve professional services that meet a professional standard of quality. This facility failed its residents in this respect multiple times in the past three years. The Abbey Care Center also failed to provide residents the proper treatment to prevent bed sores or to heal existing bed sores that, according to government surveys, resulted in actual harm to residents. Additionally, the facility failed to ensure that residents entering the facility without a catheter are not given one unless necessary, failed to ensure that residents unable to care for themselves are provided with assistance with activities of daily living, and failed to ensure that each residents' nutritional needs are met. This facility also failed multiple times in the past three years to provide activities to meet the needs of each resident.

All nursing home residents have the right to be treated fairly and with respect. The Abbey Care Center failed its residents when it failed to provide care in such a way that keeps or builds each resident's dignity and self-respect. The facility also failed to give a resident's personal money to the heads of his or her estate quickly after the resident's death and failed to properly hold, secure, and manage each resident's personal money deposited with the nursing home. Abbey Care Center also did not have a private telephone available for resident use and did not allow residents to easily see the results of the nursing home's most recent survey.

It is important in nursing homes that the residents are provided with properly balanced meals so ensure good health. The Abbey Care Center failed its residents when it failed to prepare food that it nutritional, appetizing, tasty, attractive and well-cooked for its residents and did not store, cook, and distribute food in a safe, clean way.

It is crucial that nursing homes timely provide the correct medication to its residents. The Abbey Care Center failed at least once to ensure that residents were safe from serious medication errors by keeping the medication error rate to less than 5%.

A safe, clean, homelike environment is important for nursing home residents to thrive. The Abbey Care Center failed to ensure that the nursing home area is free of dangers that could cause accidents at least twice and failed to keep a safe, clean, and homelike environment. The facility also failed to provide needed housekeeping and maintenance and did not ensure that there was a program in place to prevent or deal with mice, insects, or other pests.

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