Avoiding Injustices and Abuses of Seniors

By: Posted: Feb 17 2013 02:47:17 AM

By: D Posted: Feb 17 2013 02:47:17 AM

By: S Posted: Feb 17 2013 02:47:17 AM

How to make a complaint about ill treatment of nursing home patients Reply to this Comment

I need help on contacting the right people or person to make a complaint on a nurse with a horrible attitude in the presence of family members towards a patient. Who turned to the family and asked if she wanted to fight with her sooo unprofessional. She really shouldn't be in the field of working with the public especially the sick and elderly. Someone please help us to reach the right people or person. Thank you A granddaughter

By: Cathy Posted: Jun 06 2006 07:07:24 AM

Odyssey HealthCare hospice & Columbus Healthcare Center nursing home Reply to this Comment

Michelle Barnhart (Volunteer Coordinator at Odyssey HealthCare hospice company)& Priscilla Williams (Director of Admissions at Columbus Healthcare Center nursing home) violated not only hospice philosophy and the Dying Person's Bill of Rights but also the 1987 Nursing Home Reform Act. They refused to allow the patient to be in control of her social life (whom to visit with; length, number, & frequency of visits; how to spend the visits; etc.) and refused to tell her the truth regarding decisions affecting her. They also deliberately and repeatedly lied to that patient's family in order to prevent her from being visited by her best friend even though the patient repeatedly asked to see that friend and even though that friend had been the patient's only regular and frequent visitor. The Ombudsman was contacted and agreed that Ms. Barnhart and Ms. Williams had violated both the law and hospice ethics. However, before the situation could be resolved, the patient passed away after unnecessarily spending many hours alone. After she passed away, no further investigation was done by authorities, and Ms. Barnhart and Ms. Williams remain in their positions. Both are anencephalic, acardiac liars who have no business working in healthcare and especially not in hospice or in facilities that accept hospice services. Hospice is supposed to put the patient at the center and allow the patient to be in control. Ms. Barnhart and Ms. Williams knowingly act against the patients' wishes and should not be entrusted with the care of anyone, let alone those who have chosen hospice.

By: Posted: Oct 12 2006 02:03:37 PM

Response to Cathy Reply to this Comment

You're right: that nurse's conduct was very unprofessional. First try reporting her to the administrators (especially the Director of Nursing) at the nursing home where she works. If the administrators there are unwilling to do anything about the situation or the nurse continues that type of behavior, contact the Long-Term Care Ombudsman for your area; the Ombudsman program (at least in Ohio & probably in other states as well) is part of the state's Department of Aging. Make sure you have written down as many specifics as you remember: the nurse's exact words, the date(s) that the incident(s) occurred, who was present & witnessed the nurse's conduct, etc. Most of the authorities need as many specifics as possible before approaching a nurse or other staff member with accusations of unprofessional conduct. Sometimes the Ombudsman is very busy and/or the nursing home is uncooperative, and resolving the situation therefore takes longer than expected. But be persistent. If that nurse is behaving that way toward one patient's family, she's probably behaving the same way toward other families, too. Patients and their families have every right to insist on professional behavior from nurses and other staff members.

By: Posted: Oct 15 2006 09:28:00 AM

POOR MEDICAL ATTENTION Reply to this Comment

Posted by MISSYPITT33 on 2007/07/14 They by far are the WORST so called medical facility I have ever dealt with. They don't keep their patients clean at all. If a patient request helps, it takes them an hou to get to them. The Doctors really suck, thye barely check in on their patients, they leave it up to the nurses, which are not liscensed MD's . When you try to contact a Dr about a family member, they NEVER return your calls, and even worse if a patient passes the Dr's such as ADLER, takes more than 24hrs to even sign a death certificate, even when a funeral home request it, he says when he's ready. And most of all, normally when a patient passes, usually the Dr will call the family. Well Adler is yet to call mine, and he refuses to return our calls, very very unprofessional. Also I never knew a deceased being could be transported from the hospital to the funeral home without a death certificate? Well this so called Dr did it. And then again we.(my family) had to drive to the hospital the next day to get the death certificate, and when we got there, first they said he was'nt there, then they said he was busy, then they said he was on vacation??? Is it me or is there something wrong with this picture. It's been 9 days and still "ADLER" has'nt called to even say what happened. I think he's a "POOR EXCUSE" of a so called DR. I can't believe this is a state funded facility, so much for New jersey monitoring who they fund huh? They just tell you a bunch of lies to get your loved ones money, they don't care, and I'm saying that from Experience. Please people "BEWARE" if you or a loved one needs real medical attention, please don't go to Bergen Regional medical center. If you really love your family members, don't let them be there, trust me I'm speaking first hand experience. And I would announce that on national tv, they really suck, and again lets not forget the state of NJ, they just offer broken promises about this facility, what it all boils down to, all they want is your money. They should be shut down, they by far show no professionalism especially "ADLER" if you love yourself and your family "DON'T DO IT".!!!!!

By: Posted: Jul 13 2007 10:42:49 PM

[+ Add Your Comment]