Several East Texas nursing homes were investigated by news channel CBS 19 due to citations of neglect and inappropriate touching.
The investigative news agency asked East Texans to speak up about complaints of nursing home abuse or neglect. They received so much response that they decided to investigate homes in Tyler and Longview accepting Medicaid and Medicare.
Five homes were found that had scored lower than a 45 on the 100-point scale at the Department of Aging and Disabilities Services (DADS) website
They then double checked the list of five with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) website. This narrowed the list to three with one-star ratings on the CMS website.
Greenbrier Nursing and Rehabilitation Center was cited for failure to follow orders given by a doctor in January of 2016. Nurses failed to force a patient to wear a sling on the doctor’s orders. The resident had fallen and was injured, necessitating the sling.
The Heritage at Longview Healthcare Center nurses were cited for not having the competency skills to care for residents. Patients weren’t cleaned appropriately before being catheterized, leaving them prone to urinary tract infections. These citations took place in April.
Colonial Tyler Care Center received multiple citations. It is alleged that they hired staff with a history of abuse and negligence. When a complaint was made, the staff did not report the abuse allegation until the next day. One the same day, nurses were seen not washing hands after cleaning patients’ wounds before moving on to the next patient.
The nurses claimed that they were “nervous” and “had not been taught to wash their hands.”
CBS19 reached out to all three nursing homes, including their corporate offices, to attempt to schedule an interview. All three declined.
If you or a loved one has been injured or suffered neglect as a patient in a nursing facility, you may be entitled to compensation. Contact the law offices of Schenk Smith. We can help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us today.
