The owner of a nursing home has been found guilty of felony abuse and neglect in connection to charges stemming from an incident on Christmas day in 2005. As reported by Andrews Publications, Richard Gerhardt, a 76-year-old resident at the nursing home, who was recovering from a broken hip, was placed on a bed pan and left there for 24 hours. According to reports, the bedpan became embedded in his skin, causing an open wound that became infected and resulted in his death 5 days later.
The nursing home faces a possible $5000 fine and/or exclusion from federally funded health care programs. The case is noted to be rare, and may be the first of its type to lead to a conviction.
Elizabeth Staley, director of the New Mexico attorney general Elder Abuse and Medicaid Fraud Division: “Nursing home and care facilities are paid to provide round the clock care to those who cannot care for themselves… Protecting this population is of paramount importance to the New Mexico attorney general and similar violations will be prosecuted vigorously.”
Source:
Nursing Home Owner Convicted in Bedpan Death
The nursing home faces a possible $5000 fine and/or exclusion from federally funded health care programs. The case is noted to be rare, and may be the first of its type to lead to a conviction.
Elizabeth Staley, director of the New Mexico attorney general Elder Abuse and Medicaid Fraud Division: “Nursing home and care facilities are paid to provide round the clock care to those who cannot care for themselves… Protecting this population is of paramount importance to the New Mexico attorney general and similar violations will be prosecuted vigorously.”
Source:
Nursing Home Owner Convicted in Bedpan Death
6 comments:
It reads "a possible $5000 fine." That tells you the value of the vulnerable disabled.
Meanwhile, other families are admitting their loved ones. Twenty four hours on a bedpan.
In many states, if fines are levied, they are not enforced to be paid. The public does not either know or care.
That poor, poor man.
A $5K fine for torture?
I'm not sure which is worse -- what they did or that they're receiving less than a slap on the hand.
I do hope that with the US Govt now rating nursing homes, things will change.
http://www.medicare.gov/NHCompare
For 24 hours? I can't even conceive of that.
It's more than murder or neglect, it's torture.
What an awful, awful way to die.
Many Americans have more compassion for the prisoners, suspected terrorists in Cuba.
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