Former resident, families question care at Garretson nursing home

Several families are speaking up about their concerns for their loved ones in a Minnehaha County nursing home.

By Beth Warden

GARRETSON, S.D. (Dakota News Now) - Several families are speaking up about their concerns for their loved ones in a Minnehaha County nursing home.

In her cozy apartment, a woman who wished to remain anonymous is grateful for every day she can wake up in her own bed.

When she had to move into a nursing home herself, she never dreamed how bad it would be. In 2021, she was placed at Palisade Healthcare Center in Garretson.

“I had a huge bedsore while I’d only been there for two weeks. It took a long time, of healing, a lot. It was horrible,” the woman recounted.

Meanwhile in Texas, her daughter, who also worked in a nursing home for 18 years, had concerns.

“She didn’t go there to get worse. She went there to get better,” the daughter expressed.

When learning of the bedsore, she called the state.

Her mother eventually recovered and never wants to see the inside of Palisade again.

“I just love life because I do remember how horrible my experience was. Horrible. It’s a miracle I actually got to come home,” the woman said.

Sheri Rokusek’s experience ended with a broken heart. She always had a soft spot for her brother Jerry Erhart.

“[He had a] political science degree, wanted to be a teacher, joined the National Guard. And unfortunately in his 30s, he began to show signs of schizophrenia.” Sheri explained.

While living in the Yankton Human Services Center with his health declining, a state-appointed guardian looked for a nursing home for Jerry. Last November there was an opening at Palisade.

“And I had concerns right away. I did bring those to her attention. And her answer was that she hadn’t had any problems with them,” Sheri recalled.

Sheri hoped to visit her brother in the spring, but that ended with a phone call.

“He passed away at 2:30 in the morning. And I didn’t get a call until almost 10:00 a.m.,” Sheri said.

That’s when the family learned for the first time, that Jerry had been in hospice and had never been notified.

“Hospice versus saying Garretson should have contacted us and Garretson is saying hospice should have contacted us,” Sheri recalled.

Our team spoke with Lordes Parker, the Executive Director at Palisade Healthcare, offering to interview her and any satisfied patients. We have not received a return call.

Parker said that all of the Department of Health’s reports on the home, like an 86-page list of deficiencies in 2021, are in a notebook on-site for all to review. The Department of Health said those reports are unavailable online.

The 2021 reports found health, safety and care deficiencies, such as bedsores, not properly clothing residents, staff not using proper hygiene, overdue fire sprinkler certifications, and undelivered mail.

If you have a loved one in need of nursing home care, these families offered advice from their experience.

“Have the care plan. Go over the care plan, you know, really get involved in their care. And if they know that you’re there for your loved one. They’re more likely to follow the rules and regulations,” the daughter said.

“If you are not getting the information you need, go find somebody that will give you the information. So you can have the opportunity to say goodbye to your loved one,” Sheri said.

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Former resident, families question care at Garretson nursing home