Sheriff: nursing home aid pinched, 'smacked' disabled patients

ASHEVILLE — An Asheville nursing home aid pinched and struck patients in the face, according to arrest records. 

Tryquissa Maria Liverman, 34, of Buncombe County has been charged with three misdemeanors for assaulting individuals with disabilities. 

The assaults occurred at StoneCreek Health & Rehabilitation on Victoria Road, the sheriff's office confirmed. StoneCreek provides post-surgery and long-term care, according to their website. 

The Citizen Times reached out to StoneCreek twice to confirm Liverman's employment at the nursing home — one call was abruptly hung up and in the second the speaker refused to identify themselves. 

The nursing home reported the possible assaults, according to sheriff's office spokesman Aaron Sarver. 

Adult Protective Services will also file an elder abuse report, Sarver said. Liverman was released from custody with a written promise to appear.

StoneCreek's record 

Information on StoneCreek's staffing and health assessments are available on Nursing Home Compare, an online portal provided by Medicare that compiles information on quality of care at nursing homes certified by Medicare and Medicaid. 

StoneCreek has an overall ranking of 4 out of 5 stars on Nursing Home Compare, but staffing was judged "much below average" at the 120 bed facility. That means nursing home staff spend less time with each resident. 

StoneCreek has 23.5% more residents than the national average for a nursing home. Its registered nurses, "responsible for the coordination, management and overall delivery of care," spend about half as much time with each patient compared to the national average, the Nursing Home Compare data said. 

Its health inspection ratings are considered "much above average," according to the portal. They've received only one citation in the past three years, compared to the national average of eight. 

How to report abuse 

Buncombe County Protective Service has a 24-hour hotline to report abuse of adults — call 828-250-5800 — receives reports in person at 35 Woodfin St or 40 Coxe Ave, and also accepts reports in writing. 

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Sheriff: nursing home aid pinched, 'smacked' disabled patients