Relatives who claim woman was abused say director barred them from facility
Relatives of a patient at the state-run Emily P. Bissell Hospital say hospital officials are retaliating against them for placing a "Nanny Cam" in the hospital room -- which recorded incidents of patient abuse -- by continuing to bar them from the hospital.
When Florance MacDonald and her sister suspected their 75-year-old aunt was being mistreated by staff at Bissell, they concealed a motion-sensitive video camera last month in their aunt's room. One of the incidents it captured shows an angry Bissell staffer yelling at their bedridden aunt, and slapping at her hands and face while she pleads for help.
Public Health director Dr. Jaime "Gus" Rivera, who is responsible for Bissell and two other state-run facilities, said: "The wrongdoings rose to the level of abuse -- both physical and mental -- sometimes both."
MacDonald and her sister hand-delivered a DVD of several incidents to the state's Division of Long Term Care Residents Protection -- the agency that monitors the welfare of nursing-home residents and investigates allegations of patient abuse.
But neither Long Term Care nor Bissell officials nor Rivera took action until earlier this month, after The News Journal began investigating the family's claims.
MacDonald and her sister haven't seen their aunt since Aug. 13 when Bissell Director Sue Mitchell told them in an e-mail they were no longer allowed in the facility.
Full Article and Source:
Family kept from seeing aunt at Bissell
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Family says aunt abused at state-run care facility
Relatives of a patient at the state-run Emily P. Bissell Hospital say hospital officials are retaliating against them for placing a "Nanny Cam" in the hospital room -- which recorded incidents of patient abuse -- by continuing to bar them from the hospital.
When Florance MacDonald and her sister suspected their 75-year-old aunt was being mistreated by staff at Bissell, they concealed a motion-sensitive video camera last month in their aunt's room. One of the incidents it captured shows an angry Bissell staffer yelling at their bedridden aunt, and slapping at her hands and face while she pleads for help.
Public Health director Dr. Jaime "Gus" Rivera, who is responsible for Bissell and two other state-run facilities, said: "The wrongdoings rose to the level of abuse -- both physical and mental -- sometimes both."
MacDonald and her sister hand-delivered a DVD of several incidents to the state's Division of Long Term Care Residents Protection -- the agency that monitors the welfare of nursing-home residents and investigates allegations of patient abuse.
But neither Long Term Care nor Bissell officials nor Rivera took action until earlier this month, after The News Journal began investigating the family's claims.
MacDonald and her sister haven't seen their aunt since Aug. 13 when Bissell Director Sue Mitchell told them in an e-mail they were no longer allowed in the facility.
Full Article and Source:
Family kept from seeing aunt at Bissell
See also:
Family says aunt abused at state-run care facility
4 comments:
Outrageous and shameful! This is intentional retaliation to the family for exposing the incidents of elder abuse.
I hope the dedicated reporters stay on this case to conclusion, because it appears that is the only way to get any action.
"Granny-cams" are necessary in this day and age to protect our loved ones.
It's not just the nursing home staff that could be abusive. Other patients can also harm each other.
This family is being targeted for protecting their loved one. Shame!
Such retaliation is not uncommon.
These guardians pass their unlawful control to their cohorts in the nursing homes. Wonder if there are any kickbacks here?
My recent experience in Delaware in a 4 year long guardianship battle has been harrowing.
I can say in the end that the financial exploitation was prosecuted and the guy pled guilty.
The cost to me and my mother was enormous and the treatment of me as a petitioner and guardian was incomprehensible. In the end I was sued for my mother's debt.
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