• 11
  • August
    2010

In New York, more than a few nursing homes have been penalized by the state for providing residents with a "substandard quality of care" or exposing them to "immediate jeopardy." These two citations are among the most serious categorizations of resident harm designated by the state.

They are far from the beginning or end of New York's nursing home woes.

In Queensbury, NY, the Westmount Health Facility has faced thousands upon thousands of dollars in fines over the last two years. An inspection in May 2009 revealed that county officials inappropriately hired nursing home employees with a history of abuse, neglect and/or mistreatment of elder residents.

The county also failed to report or investigate incidents of abuse, neglect and mistreatment in nursing homes.

Investigators also found that the Westmount facility failed to properly clear the home of significant dangers and create an atmosphere of safety and well being for residents. Administrative oversight and action in these areas was determined to be at a minimum, if present at all.

With America's aging population, numbers like this are frightening, indeed.

As pointed out in previous posts, a high rate of turnover among nursing home employees has left facilities understaffed or improperly staffed, resulting in the hire of certain individuals with a history of abuse and neglect.

Neither the beginning nor end of the problem, the Westmount facility is only one of 11 that New York State assessed penalties to for a general failure to comply with healthcare quality standards.

Related Resource