Medicare assigns a star rating to each nursing home, from one to five, based on health inspections, staffing and quality measures. This is often used by families to determine where to send their loved ones. Unfortunately, Gracedale's rating is going in the wrong direction. Its current rating is two stars, or below average. The most recent state survey, conducted in December, resulted in 11 deficiencies. Administrator Jennifer Stewart-King downplayed the significance of this most recent health inspection in brief remarks on Jan 24, but Northampton County Council President Ron Heckman wants to schedule a meeting in which Gracedale, and Gracedale alone, is discussed.
This most recent inspection, conducted by the state Department of Health, notes the following problems:
(1) Gracedale "failed to ensure a dignified dining experience" for several residents. One resident was attempting to feed herself but most of her food never made it to her mouth. "The resident was not able to eat much of her meal."
(2) Gracedale failed to provide "reasonable accommodation of resident needs." A resident with lower back trouble was unable to reach the call bell and ask for help, even though she required extensive physical assistance.
(3) Gracedale violated one resident's right to be free from physical restraints. A doctor had ordered that one resident with a history of falling be placed in something called a pelvic restraint, but also ordered that she be released from it every three hours and while eating. The restraint was kept in place.
(4) Gracedale failed to develop a comprehensive care plan for three residents. This appeared with several residents who were being treated with psychotropic drugs, with no plan in place to address the underlying condition.
(5) Gracedale failed to ensure proper hygiene for two residents. One had "jagged, long and dirty" nails and another was unwilling to brush his teeth.
(6) Gracedale failed to provide quality care to a resident whose arms had visible scratches and scabs. The facility had no documentation that even noted the condition.
(7) Gracedale failed to provide services to relieve pressure sores for a resident with pressure sores on his heels.
(8) Gracedale failed to ensure that two wheelchair-bound residents had call bells.
(9) Gracedale failed to label respiratory equipment for a resident who was receiving oxygen therapy.
(10) Several residents were basically locked into their beds with no evidence that an assessment was made to determine if this was needed.In addition, informed consent from the resident is needed for this measure and there is no evidence it was obtained.
Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne
Local Government TV
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Friday, January 25, 2019
50 comments:
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can he do that?
ReplyDeleteOh that report? But the little man from the stool at Deitzi's got then generators! As our elderly die in non-attendance and filth The "little" man and McClure brag about how well they take care of those most vunerable. As they declined in filth and abandonment they had lights on to keep the cock roaches off them. Tell us again BO what a great job these two losers are doing!
ReplyDeleteThe jewel of the county..Lol
ReplyDeleteThis is a horror movie.
ReplyDeleteAmen @ 5:59 AM. That's what happens when McClure fires the company that was handling the running better! Maybe he should be a resident and endure what they have to.
ReplyDeleteRunning it better? That’s who got them this rating the company was just let go in December. The rating and report was from last year. Informed decisions come from knowing the real facts
Deletehaters going to hate. you clowns should run for office
ReplyDeleteCome on Gracedale! You can do better. Is there a staffing shortage? All this needs to be addressed.
ReplyDeleteWhat all you clowns don’t understand it was this management company that got them where they are right now.... they were just released December 31 from an administrator that did nothing and took all the credit. Point 2 this is a 650 +- faculty the percentages are very low nobody ever looks at the positives of where can a loved one be placed to live out their term of life with dignity. This is not a hospital but a residence they are not here to treat they are there to care in day to day, some of those violations are subjects that should have been taken care of outside their doors.but were not. Point 3 unless you have an aging loved one or have been in the market to find one, Gracedale is not like all the other homes around. They are not a self pay they take public assistance unless you have enough money to keep your loved one in a pay as you go nursing home (up to $10000) month what do you do when the money runs out? That home doesn’t care about your loved one you are asked to leave and you wind up at Gracedale’s doorstep because they accept Medicare. So all you haters and finger pointers think before you bitch.
ReplyDeletePlease tell us again what a great job he is doing serving the most vulnerable at "Dis-Gracedale" as our executive. Lets see what the "know it all's" have to say about this sick horror? Where are the families to save gracedale? Oh that's right after they pilfered the parents estates dry od asset they led them there like sheep. You wont hear from the families as they do not want the parents they milked dry and dumped on the county taxpayers to pay for the care. They don't care about mom and dad.
ReplyDeleteMust order wheelchairs for loved ones through Gracedale Contractors
ReplyDeleteResident women allowed hair dressing once a month. If you bring in a hair dresser they cannot use the salon. Must wash resident's hair in room sink and cut and fashion hair at women's bed.
Wheelchair bound residence not betting empty oxygen bottles replaced in a timely manner.
Could go on regarding Residents missing personal items
IF only the bar stool wasn't in Wind Gap and closer to Nazareth-
ReplyDeleteThis where those have placed their "Loved Ones". Gee I am so glad I never "loved" my parents that well. I never emptied the parents bank accounts and took the house and sent them to a warehouse run by the county. This is "care for our loved ones and most vulnerable". Great job McClure! Wasting our money on the small number who did this to mom and dad so they don't have to care for them. Do we see the outrage that was when the thought of closing that money pit? NO you will hear crickets. Tell us the about the great job. How can the staff have a conscious when you read this report? Sickening! Is Gracedale our own county run tax paid for Auschwitz?
ReplyDeleteThere is no tax dollars funding this it’s self suffient
DeleteSave your money or buy long term care insurance while you're young. Nobody wants to end up in Gracedale.
ReplyDeleteWOW TWO STARS! What prize do we win when it drops to one star?
ReplyDeleteMy daughter is a CNA and a very good one,She worked there for a week and left because she had 30 patients to take care of on her shift,
ReplyDeleteShe told me horror stories about that week.Patients left in hallway for hours.
Patients lying in their own waste
Residents not being fed
It deserves the Medicare rating and someone to clean the place up and let those who are there live in dignaty
Should have been sold.
ReplyDeleteThey offer warehousing till death not care.
ReplyDeletePA should investigate the place and shutter it. Maybe Mr. McClure should have learned the difference between dignity and abuse of these elders.
ReplyDeleteHow can you say self sufficient when the tax payers pay the benefits and salaries
ReplyDeleteYou are wrong all salaries are paid by income generated by this facility from Billings to and subsidized by the federal government ie: Medicare Medicare not 1 tax dollar is used for the past 2 years if they closed or sold this facility the pension for the county would not be able to exist monetarily without them . Know your facts come to a county council meeting
DeleteWhat kind of human works there to participate in that? Is staff blind or incompetent to comprehend this?
ReplyDeleteWe should as we get older and frailer, be able to bow out gracefully in Gracedale or any other old folks home so we don't have to swim in our own shit!
ReplyDeleteI'm sure many of these oldsters don't want to burden their kids. Some rather not have their butt wiped and sponge bathed by the offspring. I know a few who would rather live in the woods then stuck living with their kids.
ReplyDeleteOn the other end. Many offspring have their own problems making ends meet, not having the room, medical necessities or required time available their parents require. In some cases their kids themselves are too old or incapacitated in some way to be of use.
Get a grip. If so many of you are so worried why don't you volunteer to help with your parents' care at Gracedale?
Bitch, bitch, bitch... that seems to be what people do anymore instead of offering anything useful.
Alot of special kind of stupid must work for our county.
ReplyDelete8:46, Premier was still in charge at the time of this survey, so it is a reflection on their stewardship.
ReplyDeleteDisgracedale is death's waiting room without any good magazines.
ReplyDeleteSo if I am reading you correctly your stating that its all Premier's responsibility because they were still managing the facility with our taxpayer employed county employee's at the time of the inspectors visit? So the Administrations hands are clean? Not so. McClure has championed himself on how saving Gracedale was such an asset. He has been in office long enough to know to get the generators installed how about the wretched abuse of the patients being left like this along with the staff allowing it. The nurses and assistants should all be terminated as there is NO EXCUSE for these violations PERIOD. This is not a management of funds problem but total neglect of the elderly and some people should be out job hunting over this. McClure owns this as he was looking for praise and accolades for the generators and passes the blame on total neglect and abuse? Why is Morganelli not doing anything reading of how these patients are being treated? The DA should be all over this. Oh that is right its all incest democratic entanglement. Sad, very sad!
ReplyDeleteThere are deficiencies cited here that should result in at the very least loss of license of staff giving care and investigations by state and local agencies. All these reports do is give regulators a job and generate a lot of paperwork. Statements that this place gives better care than other nursing facilities is nothing to brag about. And 4:16 is right. It is incest because the local Area agency on Aging is staffed by employees of Northampton County. How can they investigate their own. And bringing the management in house, how does that affect the incest?
ReplyDelete(10) Several residents were basically locked into their beds with no evidence that an assessment was made to determine if this was needed.In addition, informed consent from the resident is needed for this measure and there is no evidence it was obtained.
ReplyDeleteIt looks like there was a jail there all along! John Brown's legacy is complete!
I have always supported Gracedale. I am concerned by this report. I went and watched the HS committee meeting and talked to some people. Why is this Lori Heffner not taking this serious? She appeared to just blow it off to be talked about next time until the other council member said it should be does as a special meeting.
ReplyDeleteI was told she is doing what she is told by the McClure Administration. Her meetings are planned by the HS Department and run so no one can ask any meaningful questions. Isn't it supposed to be the councils meeting?
This is the same woman who was quick to judge other people and their abilities in jobs, maybe she should look at her ability. Has anyone explained she does not work for McClure but for we the people?
The situation at Gracedale is shameful and I holed all the county elected officials to blame for this the council as well as McClure. They need someone who knows what the Hell is going on and how Nursing Homes operate.
Every Human Services Conmittee should start with a review of Gracedale.
ReplyDelete“
ReplyDeleteSo if I am reading you correctly your stating that its all Premier's responsibility because they were still managing the facility with our taxpayer employed county employee's at the time of the inspectors visit?”
You are not reading me correctly. I was responding to the false claim that this had happened since Premier had left. Perhaps it is things like this that led McClure to dump Premiere. Having said that, I did not care for the cavalier way in which the current administrator discussed this matter. Though the survey noted that this only occurred in a few instances, it should not be happening at all.
This was by far the most significant piece of news Thursday night and needs to be addressed immediately.
Ms. Hefner is the person who told people she should be in charge of county council. If she can't run a committee meeting how can she run the council meeting. She should have asked the new leaders to stay for the council meeting and give details.
ReplyDeleteIs there no one out there who can make our county great again?
ReplyDeleteLamont's spent the year taking care of the unions who elected him. Lamont does not - and has never - really given a shit about the county's elderly. His priorities have been clear. Yeah, I saw his gums flapping about our most vulnerable. Bullshit, Liar. The elderly will be taken care of after every single one of Lamont's cronies are first. Good luck while you die waiting. Thanks Lamont.
ReplyDeleteMcClure hates old people.
ReplyDeleteNo doubt that the residents there are the pawns of a union agenda. A Gracedale run by the county assures a union workforce, where there is no incentive for excellence.
ReplyDeleteBernie, did the left wing progressive democrats on county council pass the Zirinski plastic bag law? Must we now pay for our plastic bags and straws at the store? This is bullshit typical of democrats. Will McClure veto this leftist socialist law or is he one of them. I hope the republicans has the sense to stop it.
ReplyDeleteUnion voters first. Old people later. That's how things work. The old folks were going to die soon, anyway. They probably won't be around in three years to vote for Lamont, anyway. For Lamont, the county's most precious asset is reliable union voters. Now, we're going to get sued and pay through the nose. Some lawyers are going to cash in. Hey, wait a minute. Lamont would never create a situation that would result in a feeding frenzy for fellow barristers, would he? Yes. He certainly would.
ReplyDeleteNew York state will pass a law to allow abortions up to date of birth. Next will be no medical care for people over the age of 70. Gracedale will not be needed in a few years.
ReplyDeleteWill write about Zrinski’s resolution, which passed 6-2-1, on Monday.
ReplyDeleteto anon 5:43, it is not a law so relax. It is just a resolution. All she did was waste time.
ReplyDeleteEven though her bill passed I heard she and her supporters got a bit of a love slap from one of her own party
ReplyDeleteWhat a bunch of crap statements, McClure hates old people, etc. Just an FYI. You can't make a resident bush their teeth or bathe, or eat, or anything against their will. The majority of these allegations are minor, however, need to be addressed. Your hatred is beyond belief.
ReplyDeleteAmen
DeleteThe Brown/Allen legacy..Gracedale abandoned. It will take time to undo what has been done. I am hopeful things can return to better days with proper care and oversight and investment of our tax dollars. I am not ready to give up on the elderly as I will be one soon enough.
ReplyDeletePremier’s previous administrator truly helped Gracedale to become a more stable facility. The county knew this most recent administrator was not doing his job but obviously did nothing about it. The rest of the administration are County employees.
ReplyDeleteThe Stoffa/Brown strategy was to see Gracedale die. They almost succeeded. It will take work.
ReplyDelete