Healthcare Compliance Perspective / Elder Abuse Charges:
Unresolved citations for substandard care without effective changes being put into place and the continuation of abusive, neglectful and exploitative substandard care is a strong indication that a facility does not have a Compliance Plan in place and no Compliance Officer is involved in working to resolve the situation.
Palm Beach County Sherriff’s Office recently arrested a West Palm Beach assisted living facility owner accused of abusing the elderly residents in the facility. The man is being held on a $2,000 bond and faces elder abuse charges and neglect. The charges involve a total of five residents and there is no information available regarding their specific conditions.
The facility owner, is accused of elder abuse charges by restraining residents and leaving them overnight without appropriate supervision and care. The residents were removed from the facility by ambulance.
Records from the State indicated that the facility was cited for deficiencies in February for failing to make health assessments on the residents regarding their need for assistance in taking their medications and evaluating possible dietary changes. Additionally, the facility was written-up for non-hygienic handling of the distribution of medications to the resident-staff member was observed not washing/sanitizing their hands.
Significantly, the facility’s license to provide services expired on February 17, and the status according to the State is that the license is being reviewed.
The facility’s owner experienced licensing concerns in 2012, when he sought to open a residential home that neighbors objected to because of its proximity to a group home and they feared their property values would be adversely affected.
