Donald Taylor is under the guardianship of Legal Services of Northern Michigan. State law requires that guardians meet with their clients at least once every three months. Director Kenneth Penokie said his employees visit every other month. He would not specifically discuss Taylor's case, citing privacy laws.
Penokie: "We're not caregivers, we're decision-makers. We're fully familiar with the patients medical condition."
Taylor was admitted to Munson Medical Center late on April 7, but Louise Muma didn't find out until the next day. That, she said, was her first concern.
Muma's worries escalated as soon as she arrived at the hospital: Her father had "extreme" pressure ulcers, known as bedsores, that stretched across his pelvic area.
Her father, Donald Taylor, was a resident at Tendercare Health Center-Birchwood nursing home, 2950 LaFranier Road in Traverse City, when he was admitted to Munson.
Muma wants to know how he ended up in that condition.
Birchwood was investigated by state nursing home regulators and fined a total of almost $38,000 in 2007 and 2008 for a series of violations, including patient assaults, falls and bedsores.
State inspectors also discovered reports of physical and sexual assault among residents going back as far as 2006.
A department report indicated that Birchwood staff failed to report the incidents to the state, or protect the residents in their care.
Kim Kloeckner, Birchwood's administrator, would not comment on Taylor's condition or Muma's conversations with Birchwood employees. Staff at Extendicare Health Services Inc. of Milwaukee, which owns Birchwood, also would not comment.
Full Article and Source:
Resident develops 'extreme' bedsores
See also:
Suit Filed Against Extendicare
Lawsuit Thrown Out
Penokie: "We're not caregivers, we're decision-makers. We're fully familiar with the patients medical condition."
Taylor was admitted to Munson Medical Center late on April 7, but Louise Muma didn't find out until the next day. That, she said, was her first concern.
Muma's worries escalated as soon as she arrived at the hospital: Her father had "extreme" pressure ulcers, known as bedsores, that stretched across his pelvic area.
Her father, Donald Taylor, was a resident at Tendercare Health Center-Birchwood nursing home, 2950 LaFranier Road in Traverse City, when he was admitted to Munson.
Muma wants to know how he ended up in that condition.
Birchwood was investigated by state nursing home regulators and fined a total of almost $38,000 in 2007 and 2008 for a series of violations, including patient assaults, falls and bedsores.
State inspectors also discovered reports of physical and sexual assault among residents going back as far as 2006.
A department report indicated that Birchwood staff failed to report the incidents to the state, or protect the residents in their care.
Kim Kloeckner, Birchwood's administrator, would not comment on Taylor's condition or Muma's conversations with Birchwood employees. Staff at Extendicare Health Services Inc. of Milwaukee, which owns Birchwood, also would not comment.
Full Article and Source:
Resident develops 'extreme' bedsores
See also:
Suit Filed Against Extendicare
Lawsuit Thrown Out
Penokie shows his lack of humanity and his cold, hard exterior.
ReplyDeleteLegal Services of Northern Michigan is responsible for protecting Taylor - pure and simple.
They should be removed and held accountable for the condition he is in
Accountability, yes, wouldn't that be unique to these folks.
ReplyDeleteWhat an awful admission from this guardian.
ReplyDeleteGuardians of the estate make financial decisions. Guardians of the person are caregivers.
I think this guardian should be removed immediately and then charged with neglect.
The lawyer here is talking lawyer talk - when the heat's on, deflect it. That's what he's doing.
ReplyDeleteLegal Services is responsible. He knows it. And so do we.
Well, I have to stand up and say at least Penokie is telling the truth.
ReplyDeleteThird party guardians aren't caregivers.
They are cold, hard institutions that don't give a hoot about their wards.
It's called pass the buck and watch the lawyers do some magic tricks and hope this story fades away.
ReplyDeleteThe responsibility for the bedsores lie with the guardian, no matter what the lying lawyer says!
ReplyDeleteOne day Penokie might find him under the control of a guardian; and if that happens, I hope he thinks back to his statements made here.
ReplyDeleteAging is getting more frightening knowing what is waiting for us. Doesn't sound like we're a caring society for the older generation. Nice way to say "thanks" for the nice country that we live in. I guess that's a twisted way of showing gratitude.
ReplyDeleteGuardians and attorneys always retreat to privacy laws to avoid answering questions. They think they're pretty slick when they do that, but they're not. They're as transparent as glass.
ReplyDeleteAlley agrees to probable cause after my kids taken by cps for being a victin of dv ,she didnr allow me to speak and granted probable cause.on their verbal proof that i failed to comply which is a lie! Now going through hell to get my kids wrongly taken from me
ReplyDeleteMr. Penokie is a disgrace to the state of Michigan and personally dealing with his ignorance for the last 2+ years, be doesn't care about humanity, elders, or family. He doesn't care. He has made statements loud and clear in and out of the court room he don't. I pray karma will find justice for anyone ever affected by Ken Penokie.
ReplyDelete