Massachusetts Nursing Home Resident Arrested in Deadly Assault of Roommate
On Saturday evening October 5, police were called regarding an alleged altercation between two male residents. After arriving at the facility, the police arrested an 83-year-old nursing home resident for allegedly physically assaulting his 76-year-old roommate. Both residents were taken to a local hospital. The assaulted resident did not survive, and the other resident is being evaluated at the hospital.
The alleged attacker is supposed to be arraigned on Monday, but it is not clear if the arraignment will take place in a courtroom or the hospital.
There have been no details forthcoming regarding the incident and what might have triggered the attack. However, a statement was released quickly by the nursing home expressing the facility’s concern for the families of the residents involved in the incident and to make it known that the facility is making additional support services available for staff members and residents. The statement gave assurances that the administration and staff were working with local and state police departments to assist in the investigation of the incident.
Family members of the residents in the facility reported that the facility had not provided any information about the occurrence of the incident to the residents or their families.
Compliance Perspective
Failure to provide timely intervention in a situation between residents who become involved in an physical altercation so serious that one resident dies as a result, may be considered a failure to provide sufficient supervision and violate residents’ right to a safe environment and might be determined to be provision of substandard quality of care in violation of state and federal regulations.
Discussion Points:
- Review policies and procedures for the prevention and timely intervention of altercations between residents.
- Training staff to recognize signs of aberrant behavior and to be aware of behavior changes that may indicate a potential for violent outbursts and assaults between residents.
- Periodically audit resident to resident incident reports to determine if staff are documenting changes in behavior that might indicate the potential for violent outbursts or assaults on another resident or staff member.
