Death certificate statistics, Larry Joe Russell and Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation!

It's amazing the things that you can find at the courthouse. Today I went to the Henderson County N.C. courthouse, to the register of deeds office. I went to the records room and began my research. I decided as the new year begins, to find out as much as I can about Dr. Larry Joe Russell and Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. I am basically starting all over again, with a new determination. It all began at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, so that was today's focus.
My research today was in the book of death certificates, from November 1, 2011 to December 30, 2011, this would contain Mom's death certificate. In those two months, there were thirteen deaths listed at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. If you include Mom, that would be fourteen. That seems like a lot of deaths for a Health and Rehabilitation facility. Especially one run by SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, their commercials say "Our passion makes the difference". I guess they must be passionate about letting patients die!
Next I looked at how many death certificates were signed by Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mom's supposed doctor during her stay at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. Turns out he has passion, similar to SanStone. Dr. Larry Joe Russell signed thirty three death certificates in the same two months. That's roughly one every other day! Of those thirty three, seven were at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, eight if you count Mom. Out of Dr. Russell's share of death certificates, eight of them died from a failure to thrive.
This is alarming to me, and I am of the opinion, that this should be alarming to someone else. I have shared similar information with the NCDHHS, and other government and law enforcement agencies. Not one seemed to have a problem, or even seemed concerned enough to look.
I will continue to share the statistics from the death certificates, until I am able to attract enough attention. I would ask that if this seems alarming to you, that you comment on this blog.

Holiday memories, how can you not do something!!

When you lose someone, it is difficult during the holidays. Everything you do brings back memories of the person you lost. A certain Christmas carol, buying a tree, a special gift , an ornament on the tree, a specific holiday dish, and in my case ,especially eggnog.
It has been over two years since Mom died. During that time I cant think of one day I didn't think about her. Rather than forget her, and go on with my life, I have spent countless hours, going over her medical records. My brother and I spend hours almost every day talking about what is wrong with the system, and how it could be fixed. My Mom did not die for nothing, she died so that we would fight for the living, that cant fight for themselves.
I have had discussions about the lack of care in nursing homes, with almost anyone who would talk about it . I have heard stories that would make your skin crawl. I have been on the NCDHHS website, and the Medicare.gov website, it's hard to believe what they allow to happen.
The most disheartening thing of all, is the family members are just willing to let it happen. Although some of the people we have spoken with, have information that could help, they will not come forward. We have reached out to almost any agency or person that would listen, and they all say the same thing. It takes more than the death of one elderly person, to get anything done about it. I have an opportunity now, to get the necessary attention from some very important people. I will go to them with what I have concerning my Mom. I hope it is enough to get them to look at what is happening. I am certain, that if I had more people willing to act, we could make things better for those still suffering in nursing homes. I am asking anyone who reads this, who has any information that could help, to come forward .
I personally know at least two people who are currently going through issues with nursing homes. I know they have knowledge, and can prove that their loved ones are not being cared for. I cant not understand how they can stay silent. Their parents, or a family member, are suffering terrible things at the hands of these people, yet they wont help. I can only hope that when their time comes, someone will care enough to help them.
Old people die, that is the mantra of the nursing home owners and managers. They leave out how they die, some from being dropped, given the wrong medication, or just because there was not enough staff to help. They simply" fail to thrive " or suffer from an" acute coronary arrhythmia ". No one ever checks the doctors cause of death, simply because "old people die".
I don't know about anyone else, but I don't have a whole lot of faith in doctors. I cant tell you how many times I have avoided tragedy by asking the right questions, or questioning something the doctor was doing. Many times the doctors depend on some low level office clerk, to catch potential life threatening issues. That's simply not good enough. If you are a doctor and you are getting paid, do your job. Take the time to actually examine the patient, and get familiar with their medical history. Make sure that there are no potential medication reactions. If you have a patient that had there skull sawed open, expect problems, especially if they fall.
There is one doctor in Hendersonville North Carolina, that definitely has to many patients. Dr. Larry Joe Russell,he is the medical director at The Laurels of Hendersonville, and also has an office, where he sees patients. Dr. Russell is also the doctor at all the nursing homes in Henderson Count NC. At least the ones that accept Medicare and Medicaid. Dr. Russell is also the registered agent for several other medical practices in Henderson County. Dr. Russell is also partners with the owners of SanStone Health and Rehabilitation.
How could one doctor keep up with all of those patients? Simple, doctor Russell has fourteen LPN's and one PA. My guess is that he never actually "sees" a patient. Although he was supposed to be Mom's doctor, the records prove that he never even saw her. How can a doctor, that has not even seen a patient, have the knowledge to sign the death certificate?
I am using Dr. Larry Joe Russell as an example, simply because I have personal knowledge about him from Moms medical records. The same goes for Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, personal experience. Everything I have read, and my personal experience, indicates that this is the normal.
If you wish to share any information, email me at jaemark7@bellsouth.net, I will answer you promptly, and will keep any information in strict confidence, if you desire. I just need to know more about how they operate, in order to stop them. It takes more than one dead elderly person to get attention.
Merry Christmas, and if you still have your parents and grandparents, love and hold them, enjoy them while you have them. You never know when they may end up in the hands of a Dr. Russell, or Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation of their own.

What does CMS do, and who is NCI Advancemed?

In my last post I made reference to Government managed health care. I am specifically focusing on Medicare. I have documented proof of fraudulent billing, by Medicare providers. Now I will explain how difficult it is to get someone to do something about it. This is money that comes from taxpayers, and is administered by the government.
First a complaint was filed with the NCDHHS, the agency that licenses nursing homes that accept Medicare. Although we presented them with documented proof of over billing for doctor visits, pharmaceutical drugs, and quality of care, they found nothing wrong. The NCDHHS is the local agency that oversees the regulation of federal money for the DHHS. They basically ignored the fact that these things were happening, even though we have proof. We were told by Gail Maloney, the Western regional director of the NCDHHS, that they had the final say on these issues. Well technically they don't, but all the other agency's base their decisions on the findings of the NCDHHS.
Next let me tell you about CMS, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. I was directed to them through Congressman Heath Shulers office. Congressman Shulers office contacted them on my behalf. I received a letter in August of 2021, saying how seriously they take Medicare fraud. The letter states that they will be contacting me directly for more information. I never heard from them so I contacted them directly. I was able to read the name and phone number although it was blacked out on the letter to Heath Shulers office. I spoke to Alfreda Walker, who told me that someone in her office was investigating the fraud issue. Ms.Walker also told me that the other issues were being investigated by a someone else.
I never heard from them till I contacted Congressman Shulers office in November 2012.They were closing their office, but they contacted CMS on my behalf. In December of 2012, I received a letter from a company called NCI Advancemed. The letter said that they had investigated my complaint and appropriate action had been taken. I called them and asked, who they were , and what action had been taken. Their response was that they took no action, they found no issues. I asked them why they never contacted me for copies of the bills, or other information. I got the typical government runaround, without ever getting a real answer. Turns out they are a private contractor, overseeing the integrity of the Medicare program! They had gotten my information from the NCDMA, from a complaint I filed with the NC Medical Board.
 Turns out Ms. Walker from the CMS, had done absolutely nothing to investigate my complaint, although she had indicated that she had. What exactly happened here, I cant even explain. Who, if anybody, actually did anything? This is how the government regulates the taxpayer money paid to Medicare providers.
My brother and I both contacted NCI Advancemed, to question their results. Turns out they didn't actually have any of the information I had provided. My brother then put together a packet of information and sent it directly to them. It took about a week or maybe two for them to determine that they could not see any fraud. They did however find something, but they were not at liberty to discuss that with us. My brother is waiting for information from the freedom of information act, as I write. They are not quite so free with information, and they are definately in no hurry.
This is where we are right now, waiting. Mom died two years ago in November, and we are still waiting. I guess you can sense my opoinion of Government, and government contractor, regulated health care.   

Government managed health care , what a joke!

This blog is intended to call attention to the way our government fails miserably, to enforce regulations concerning health care . This is some scary stuff considering the situation with Obamacare. Medicare is administered by the government, and almost entirely managed by private contractors. I have reported Medicare fraud, and seen how it is (not) dealt with. The authorities who investigate Medicare fraud, are too busy to actually investigate. What are they to busy doing?
My main focus is on nursing homes and rehabilitation centers. This all started when my Mom died at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, in Hendersonville North Carolina. Sanstone Health and Rehabilitation, operates this facility. It was originally operated by Margret Pardee Memorial Hospital.
Pardee sold the business in 2008, supposedly due to the high cost of operations. Hospitals operating this type of facility, are required to have adequate numbers of staff, to care for the patients. Private companies operating nursing homes, have no staff to patient requirements. This is how they become so profitable, and also why they are so dangerous.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services,(NCDHHS), North Carolina Department of Health Service Regulation (NCDHSR), inspects and licenses these places. They also supposedly investigate complaints filed against these homes. The lack of enforcement is the focus of this blog.
After receiving Mom's medical records, I filed a complaint with the NCDHHS. The records I have are missing required signatures, dated wrong, have the wrong room number, and reflect a pattern of overbilling of Medicare. The initial result of their  " investigation " of my complaint, was unsubstantiated.
 I met with the Western regional director of the NCDHSR, Gail Maloney, at their Black Mountain office. I produced all the mixed up medical records from Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, including a signed notarized statement concerning the night Mom fell. The statement conflicted the nurses notes, which were dated December 1, 2011, a month after Mom died.
My brother and his wife, and my oldest sister were also at the meeting. We had a list of questions that included discrepancies in the pharmacy bill, doctors bill and the bill for a private room, which Mom never had. There was a question as to whether Mom was given Ativan, that was prescribed. The Ativan, was unaccounted for. When I asked Ms. Maloney what happened to the Ativan, she replied, "maybe they put it back". We were told that the NCDHSR would do a review of the complaint, with the information we provided as well.
It took a little more than a month for them to call and say they found no substantiated complaints. Hard to believe, when provided with records, that prove there were reasons to substantiate the complaints. It was becoming more and more obvious, that the NCDHHS was quite friendly with the nursing home owners.
I have since filed through the freedom of information act, the results of their investigation. The day I received the report back, I had to go outside and calm down. The answers given, for the issues we complained about were absurd. There were conflicting reports written by the same person, there were actually three copies of the letter written by the doctor who preformed the review. Each letter had a different story, and none of them was entirely accurate. One of the letters stated that if Mom tried to get out of bed and fell, it was her fault. Another copy says that Dr. Larry Joe Russell had seen Mom the morning after she fell, as he would any patient when he was there. The other version says that Dr. Russell would not have seen her if the nurses evaluation didn't request it. The whole report is full of the same kind of confusion. I wonder if they ever even went into Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation.
As for the review, it is obvious, that the doctor just sat and wrote letters till he got one close enough to the actual story. Even then, they found no deficiencies. Who is supposed to watch the people who are watching the nursing homes ?
More to come on what agency does, or fails to do.

SanStone, Our passion makes the difference!

I started writing this a little over a year ago. At the time I was angry at DR. Larry Joe Russell and Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. I was convinced, and still am that they had something to do with my mothers unexpected passing.
I am no longer focused on Dr. Larry Joe Russell, or Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. After researching the NCDHHS survey results, I am trying to change the system. The regulators are not regulating. Either the NCDHHS is unable to enforce their own regulations, or they are powerless to do so.
In the past two years I have filed a complaint with the NCDHHS, the agency that regulates nursing homes. They supposedly did an investigation of Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, and found no deficiencies. This prompted a meeting with the Western regional director of NCDHHS. Even after presenting her with medical records, that substantiated our complaints, they still found nothing wrong. They went as far as doing a review of their initial investigation. They still found no reason to substantiate my complaint, even with written proof. The summary of their review was written by a Dr. in Raleigh. He had to write the letter three times. The first draft had Mom dying the night she fell, she did not. The second says that Dr. Russell saw her the morning after the fall, he did not. It goes on to say that if Mom pulled off her personal alarm, it was her fault. The third report had the details and dates correct, but still found no reason to substantiate the complaint.
The problem is not DR. Larry Joe Russell or Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. It goes much deeper than that. The problem is the laws and the way they protect the owners of these places, and Doctors with no morals, like Dr. Larry Joe Russell. There are plenty of doctors, willing to take the money from wherever it comes from. The lives of the patients are just the price paid for substandard care. It happens every where, in almost every home in every State in the Country.
Don't get me wrong, nothing would make me happier than seeing Dr. Larry Joe Russell answer for the lives that he could have saved, just by seeing his so called patients. Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation should have answer to all the families that have been hurt by their lack of care.
It all has to start somewhere, the only records I have are from Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, and Dr. Larry Joe Russell. That is why I have focused on them. As I have said before, I have nothing to gain from this. The statute of limitations on a law suit are long past. I am trying to make a difference.
There are people dying needlessly at homes everywhere. The reason for this blog is to try and make sure that these people are allowed to live the end of their lives with some dignity. These are our parents, and grandparents. They have worked all their lives, just to be left lying in their own waste, hungry and lonely. The owners of these places are smart, they know when you are going to visit. They make sure there are plenty of staff during the day, right up until you go home.
They make these places look like resorts on the outside. Look closely, when you go inside, the reality is there if you look for it. They take advantage of the fact that the person you are trusting to their care, cant be cared for at home. They don't want you to worry about anything. So they advertise how their passion makes a difference. How they care for their patients like their own family. Look around, they are liars. They are taking record profits from their ownership, with little to no liability. They make their  money, by not having the staff to provide even basic care. Talk to a nurse or cna, that works in one of these places, they are always short of help. The good employees, leave, and look for something better. The rest, just take their paychecks. They resent the patients, because they are the cause of their being overworked. They are afraid to say anything because they will get fired, and no one else will hire them.
I have spoken to several of these people. They will answer ads, and talk on the phone. They will tell you how bad the patients are treated, and how lives could be saved. Ask them to help, and that's the last conversation you will ever have with them. I have spoken to relatives of patients that have been abused and overbilled. They will tell you specific things that happened, until you ask them to do something about it. As long as they can stay anonymous they will tell the stories.
The people who die in these places are not anonymous, they have names. Patricia Ackerman Lytle, that is my mothers name. They all have families, that have no clue how badly they are being treated, I know we didn't.  Or they don't want to get involved. I didn't choose to get involved either, but if I quit trying, I will not be able to sleep at night. I could use any help I can get. Do you sleep at night?
Please, get involved.

Do you know who your doctor is ??

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Jennifer Thomas, Susan Habel RN, Tammy Mace RN, Lara Mooney LPN, "Cookie" Maude Romeo, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, Gail Maloney RN and NCDHHS.
November 2011, was a month of learning for me. As my suspicions grew, I tried to gather as much information as I could. The first place I went was to the Henderson County EMS. They were more than happy to provide me with the call sheet from the morning Mom died. The times on the EMS report did not match the times I was given by Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. The report shows that cpr was preformed for fifty minutes, with never any heartbeat. There is a copy of the ekg and it is a flat line from start to finish. I did some research, and after six minutes without a heartbeat or breath, a person is dead. The nurses own report says that Mom was unresponsive for ten to fifteen minutes before cpr.
I walked from the ems building to Pardee hospital. I went into the emergency room and ended up in the family room with the head er nurse on duty that day. She tried to explain the death certificate to me. She said that since Dr. Russell was supposedly Moms doctor at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation , he signed the death certificate. It still didn't make sense that the doctor in the er that morning, Dr. Boleman, pronounced her but didn't sign the certificate. The records I had been able to obtain at this point, made a reference that DR. Russell was to discuss it with Dr. Harrellson. Ok, now you have three doctors involved, and to my knowledge, none of them had seen Mom except DR. Boleman. And that was that morning in the er. What was going on?
The next thing was to figure out who all these doctors were, and how they were involved. First Dr. Boleman is a member of Hendersonville emergency physicians. They are the er doctor group at Pardee. Then Dr. Harrellson, who was he, and why would Dr. Russell discuss the cause of death with him. Well,  Dr. Harrellson turned out to be a she, Dr. Anna Q. Harrellson . Just so happens that she was a member of DR. Russell's practice. DR. Russell's practice is WNC Family Medical Center at 510 Balsam Rd. in Hendersonville. Dr Russell was supposed to be Mom's doctor. There is no indication that he ever even saw her.
I would have to wait till mid December to get the medical records. That's when things really started looking bad. More to come.

How long should I wait ???

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Jennifer Thomas, Susan Habel RN, Tammy Mace RN, Lara Mooney LPN, "Cookie" Maude Romeo, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, Gail Maloney RN and NCDHHS.
At this point, Mom had been dead for seven days. She died on a Thursday, and for some reason a medical examiner had to examine her before they could creamate her. It took till Monday to get the release. The funeral went on without her remains, which does not normally happen in a Catholic Church.
After the funeral, with all the different accounts of what had happened. I called Pardee Hospital and asked them if they would do a autopsy. They said they would not, I called Dr. Russell and asked if he would order it. He said he would check on it, he never returned my call. I wasn't sure what I should do, the mortuary called and I needed to sign before they could cremate Mom's body. With my suspicions growing every day, I made the decision to delay the cremation. This was not an easy decision to make, I didn't want to make this any harder on my family or myself.
I called the SBI, and spoke to an agent there, he said they could not get involved without local law enforcements request. I called the local sheriffs department, explained the events that had taken place. The person I spoke to originally, was concerned about what I was telling him. He took notes, and said he would have another deputy call me. I never heard back from them either. The mortuary called again, they wanted to know what to do. I told them to wait, I was going to continue to try to get an autopsy done.
I called the NC State medical examiners office and told them the story, they would not get involved. According to their own rules, an autopsy is required, if someone dies in a medical facility, from something other than what they were being treated for. Mom was not being treated for anything to do with her heart, but " old people die ".
My sister then called Dr. Harold Picus, the surgeon that had done Mom's surgery. He could not believe that she had died. DR. Picus said that they had expected a full recovery. He told my sister that he would call and order an autopsy. According to Dr. Picus, Pardee Hospital denied the request, as he was not her treating doctor, Dr. Russell was.
 My sister also spoke to Dr. Mills Mom's family doctor, he was also shocked that Mom had died. Dr Mills had seen her since the surgery, and saw nothing that would indicate her passing!
I called the NC State Medical Examiners office several times, still no help. The last time I called, I spoke to Hillary Sheaves, when I was telling her the story, I mentioned the fact that Mom had fallen. She stopped me, and asked " did you say she fell? ". I told her what I knew about the fall. Ms. Sheaves took the information she needed and said she would order Mom's records from Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. She was the first person I had spoken to, that felt like something might be wrong.
The mortuary called again, it had been over three weeks since Mom had died. Again I told them I wanted to wait. I didn't want to leave Moms body laying in the mortuary, but I felt I needed to exhaust all possibilities of obtaining an autopsy. It took another week or so before I heard back from Ms. Sheaves. She started the conversation with an apology, I was getting used to that. According to Ms. Sheaves, the records from Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, didn't indicate the fall was a significant event. They could not order an autopsy.
I called Padee Hospital, and spoke to someone there who agreed to meet with my brother and I. It was early in December, and I had still not gotten appointed as the administrator of Mom's estate. Legally I had no rights to Mom's records. We met with Steve Pennock, the public relations person at Pardee Hospital, and Gail Sams RN, the emergency room nursing director. We discussed the alarming number of deaths at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, which they could not comment on. Then I asked if Dr. Russell worked at Pardee, their response was that he saw patients there. I told them that I suspected that Mom had died as a result of the fall, or possibly a medication error. I begged them to do an autopsy, again they refused. I asked them if they could simply do a blood test, and take a mobile ex ray machine, and examine her head. They refused, and said the only way to get an autopsy done was to pay $4000.00, and send Moms body to Duke Medical center.
I was torn apart, Moms body had been at the mortuary for over a month at this point. I finally made the call to allow them to cremate her body. I could not continue to delay the inevitable, I felt guilty for putting it off as long as I had. Was I imagining things or was there really reasons to be suspicious?
I couldn't imagine that there could be more that would happen to make it look any worse. Well I was wrong. It's a long story, more to come. 

Does this make sense??

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Jennifer Thomas, Susan Habel RN, Tammy Mace RN, Lara Mooney LPN, "Cookie" Maude Romeo, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, Gail Maloney RN and NCDHHS.
If this is the first time that you have seen this blog, you probably wonder what's up with the list of names above. I will start with Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, Mom was sent there for occupational and physical therapy following surgery. After fifteen days, she was supposed to discharge on November 3, 2011, she died that morning.
Next SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, they are the company that operates six nursing and rehabilitation centers in North Carolina. They do not even exist on the NC Secretary of State corporations page, and their office address is a Fed Ex office.
Dr. Larry Joe Russell, was supposed to be Mom's doctor while at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, there is no indication that he ever even saw her. He is also one of the owners of Hendersonville Physicians and Associates, the company that bought Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation from Pardee Hospital. Dr. Russell is also the medical director at The Laurels of Hendersonville, and the staff doctor at all the nursing homes in Henderson County. His name is associated with several other doctors offices and medical facilities in Hendersonville. Dr. Russell has a whole lot of patients.
Jennifer Thomas was the records clerk that I originally requested Mom's records from. After copying the records, and telling me to come get them, she was told to destroy them, and they would send copies from the SanStone office. Jennifer Thomas left Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation within two weeks of speaking to me. I have not been able to locate her.
Susan Habel RN, was the director of nursing at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. She was the first person I spoke to about what happened to Mom. I am not sure what her role was in the events that took place, but I know she knows the truth.. She is no longer at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation.
Tammy Mace RN, according to the records, was the nurse that discovered Moms body that morning. She was working the 7 PM to 7 AM shift, it was the first time she had ever worked on Mom's hall.
Lara Mooney LPN, according to records, she was the nurse that administered the Ativan on the afternoon before Mom fell. Lara Mooney was also the nurse that created a fraudulent nurses note concerning the fall. Her account of the fall was different than the roommate Mom had that night. Her account of the fall was a " late entry " and is dated December 1, 2011, a month after Moms death. Lara Mooney has been disciplined by the NC Board of nursing before, for practicing nursing without a license. At the last I know, she was working at Fleishers Fairview Health Care. She was terminated from Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation.
" Cookie " Maude Romeo, was the administrator at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation during Mom's stay. When I started asking Susan Habel RN questions that she didn't want to answer, I was taken to Ms. Romeo. She was not a very nice person. She asked me if I was accusing them of something. She also told me that the NCDHHS had told her that I had filed a complaint against Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. That information is supposed to be confidential. Ms. Romeo is also no longer at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation.
Mike Deloach and Christopher Sprenger, together these two own SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, and are listed as managing employees at all of the SanStone facilities. They and their companies are major sponsors of the yearly Pardee Hospital Golf Tournament. The Sprenger family owns and operates many nursing and rehabilitation facilities in Ohio. Their names appear on corporate documents of several companies as well, some with Dr. Larry Joe Russell, and others.
The last name on the list is Gail Maloney RN, and the NCDHHS. Ms. Maloney was the Western Regional director of the NCDHHS that inspects and certifies nursing and rehabilitation facilities.
Several members of my family and I met with Ms Maloney at the Western Regional Office in Black Mountain. We presented her with documents and questions that were direct violations of NCDHHS regulations. Of all the violations we could prove, she found no problems with a single one . The medical records does not indicate what happened to the Ativan that Mom had been prescribed. When  I asked her what happened to the Ativan tablets , she replied " they probably just gave them back to the pharmacy. NCDHHS regulations state that any such medication must be destroyed, and there has to be a witness to the destruction. Ms. Maloney is no longer the Western Regional director of the NCDHHS, shortly after our meeting, she retired.
The NCDHHS is the State agency that licenses nursing homes. They are responsible for inspections and complaint investigations. Their results determine whether the homes are eligible to participate in Medicare and Medicaid.
If you consider all the information above, it is hard not to doubt the entire story I was told. It gets worse than this. More to come!

How many does it take???

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Susan Habel RN, Tammy Mace RN, Lara Mooney LPN, "Cookie" Maude Romeo, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, NC Board of Nursing, NC Medical Board and NCDHHS.
Yesterday,I mentioned Dr. Larry Joe Russell, had signed the Mom's death certificate. This was the first time I had heard his name. I wanted to know why the death certificate was not signed by Dr Boleman, the ER doctor who had pronounced Mom dead. I called Pardee hospital, and asked them why Dr. Boleman had not signed the certificate. I was told that Dr. Larry Joe Russell, was Mom's doctor. Thats why he signed it. Dr. Russell had never even seen my Mom, how did he come up with a diagnosis.
I called Dr. Russell, and he said, the diagnosis was based on her age and her declining health. Then he backed up and said, oh wait, your Mom was getting better. So basically his diagnosis was based on her age alone. Mom was seventy six when she died, and before her surgery, was able to take care of herself just fine. Thats when I started hearing how people die when they get older. Really!!! A person who was basically healthy , could have surgery, and then just die because of their age. I wonder if they told her that before her surgery. We can do the surgery, but because of your age you could die!
I wondered if Dr. Russell didn't sign all of his death certificates the same. Well an afternoon trip to the Henderson County courthouse would answer that question. First thing is Dr. Larry Joe Russell signs a lot of death certificates. I couldn't go three pages without finding another one he signed. I thought acute coronary arrhythmia would be the normal cause, I was wrong. The cause of death on more than half of the ones I looked at was " failure to thrive ". I had never heard of that before, I looked it up, and it is mostly used in infants.
If you are in a nursing home, they are supposed to feed you, assist you with hygiene, make sure you are hydrated, and administer your medication. How could so many people fail to thrive under those conditions. The funny thing is " failure to thrive " is not used as a cause of death by most of the other doctors. It is used by some, but it is rare. It alarmed me how many of Dr. Russell's patients failed to thrive.
Then I started looking into this Dr. Larry Joe Russell, and found out he was one of the owners of Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. He was also the owner or registered agent for several other businesses in Hendersonville. His name is on documents from several doctors practices, TST Medical, Family Medical Center, and others. He is the medical Director at the Laurels of Hendersonville, and sees patients at all the nursing homes in Henderson County. At least all of them that accept Medicare and Medicaid.
 He also supervises at least eight nurse practitioners, and several PA's. I found where another PA, Todd Stone, had been in trouble with the Medical Board, Dr. Russell was now supervising his office. And another physician who was supposed to be mentored, as a provisional licensee, was also being monitored by Dr. Russell. The second doctor mentioned was arrested by the Asheville Police Department for writing bogus prescriptions. I began to seriously question Dr. Larry Joe Russell's credentials. This was the way all of this got started. Two years of research and countless hours of reading medical terms. I know things some medical professionals don't even know. Mostly I know that the NCDHHS does not do their job in monitoring these facilities. They ignore obvious violations of their regulations, and allow these places to operate without fear of any action.
I think the thing that bothers me most, is the lack of concern by law enforcement and public officials. I cant even list all the people who I have tried to get to help. Congressmen, Senators, NCDHHS, law enforcement, both State and Federal. None of them can seem to find anything wrong. If you were to take the regulations and walk into any nursing home in any State, you would find violations. How come the ones that do the inspections cant. I'm guessing that money and political corruption is the only reason.
I will continue to write until I get someone's attention. If I have brought up something you are aware of, share your comments on this blog. It takes more than one elderly patient dying needlessly to make a difference. I wonder how many have to die before we say that's enough!

First day back at work .

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Susan Habel RN, Tammy Mace RN, Lara Mooney LPN, "Cookie" Maude Romeo, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, NC Board of Nursing, NC Medical Board and NCDHHS.
Today two years ago, would have been my first day back at work since Mom passed. It was a difficult drive in, I drove the same route I did every day. What made it difficult, was that it was also the same route I took to Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation that morning. It was also the first time I had been alone since Mom had gone. I thought about a lot of different things on that drive.
I work alone for the first two hours every morning, so more time to think. After I got everything started, I made my breakfast. I reached in the cooler for my grapefruit, and almost lost it. For the last two and a half weeks, I had been cutting two, one for me and one for Mom. Today I wouldn't make that drive to take Mom her coffee and grapefruit. I suddenly couldn't bring myself to eat.
It was a rough day, but I managed to keep it together for my shift. When I finished for the day, I drove up the street, to Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. I just wanted to hear the story of Mom's last morning. I met with Susan Habel RN, the director of nursing. It just happened that Tammy Mace RN was working that day, she was the one who actually found Mom that morning. They went through their story pretty much the way I remembered it from that morning. Then Tammy Mace RN went back to work, and I was left with Susan Habel RN. I asked her what she thought caused Mom's death. She said the only thing that would cause such a sudden death was a stroke or heart attack. Then she proceeded to tell me what a great job her staff had done that morning. She even went so far as to tell me how the paramedics had said they had done a great job. I left there for what I thought would be the last time.
I wasn't quite sure why, but the story just didn't make sense. When I got home I started thinking that she had never answered the questions that I had gone there to ask. I just knew that something was just not right. I started looking in the obituaries, and was shocked at how many people had died in Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. I found more than twelve people since September, had spent their last night on earth at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation.
I called and requested a copy of Mom's medical records from Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. They were more than happy to give them to me, as soon as I could verify that I had medical power of attorney, or some other court document. You would think, after what had happened, they would want to share the records. If they had done such a great job, why not prove it.
I began the process of getting appointed as the administrator of Mom's estate.
 I had to first get each of my siblings to sign and notarize an authorization. Next I had to get an official copy of the death certificate  Then I had to petition the court in Asheville as well. All of this just to get a copy of her medical records. It would take until mid December to complete the process. I didn't have an attorney, and had to figure it out for myself.
When I got the death certificate, it only added to my suspicions. It was signed by Dr. Larry Joe Russell. The cause of death was listed as acute coronary arrhythmia. I couldn't figure out why Dr. Larry Joe Russell had signed the death certificate. I had never heard of DR. Russell before then.The doctor in the emergency room at Pardee on the day she died was Dr. Boleman. If he pronounced her dead, why would he not be the one to sign the death certificate? It only gets more confusing from here. I know a lot more about how things work, than I ever wanted to. More to come!

Questions ?

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Susan Habel RN, Tammy Mace RN, Lara Mooney LPN, "Cookie" Maude Romeo, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, NC Board of Nursing, NC Medical Board and NCDHHS.
The first day after Mom's passing, we did as she wanted us to. We had a party, everyone came to the house, and my nephew and I went to the store and picked up beer and wine. Then we went back to the house, and had our version of a traditional Irish wake. Mom always said when she went, she wanted a hell of a party. We gave it our best shot, there were plenty of tears, plenty of laughs, and lots of hugs. I think she would have been pleased that we honored her wishes.
The next day, waking up was sobering, in more ways than one. At first, I couldn't get out of bed, I just lay there in disbelief. I felt comfort in knowing that Mom was not going to be struggling any more. She was in a place where she could see perfectly, walk without a walker, and would never again have to wait on someone to help her to the bathroom.  She had been set free from the troubles of this world. I was happy for her, but my heart was broken for all of us left behind.
We started a new day, gathering at my house again. My sister and her family came up from Atlanta, and everyone else came over. There was a great comfort in being surrounded by all the family. There was one family missing. During the stress of the last month, one of my sisters, had become separated from the rest of us. It was a terrible thing to happen to a family, that had always been so close.
As we were all talking about Mom, there were some things that just didn't make sense, about what had happened. The more I told the story from the staff at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, the more things didn't add up.  According to Tammy Mace RN, Mom had been assisted to the bathroom, by a cna from another hall.Tammy Mace RN told me that five or ten minutes later she walked by Mom's room, and she was slumped over in an awkward position. She then called her name, and got no answer, went into the room, and felt no pulse. They started cpr, which continued for at least 45 minutes or so. Depending on which version of the story is true.
The times just didn't add up, the more we discussed things, the more questions came up. The people who were there that morning, had never taken care of Mom before. The roommate at the time, didn't seem to realize the seriousness of what had taken place. When my sister went back to Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, to pick up Mom's things, Everything was in boxes. The bed was made, and there was no indication that anything had happened there just a few hours before. I would have expected that we would have been able to pack Mom's things. There were certain things that we never found.
Regardless of what we were learning about Mom's last day, we had to make the arrangements. My youngest sister and I went to the mortuary to sign the papers and make arrangements there. For some reason, we had to have a medical examiner check her body. It was now the weekend, and the medical examiner could not be there till Monday. The mortuary could not proceed until that happened. It seemed strange that we had to have a medical examiner check the body, when Mom had died in Pardee Hospital. There were doctors present, and I know they have medical examiners at Pardee. Just one more reason to question what was happening.
We had to proceed with the funeral arrangements without the remains. There was an issue with the church, but the Priest was fond of Mom, and made things work. Everyone else had there jobs to do also. My oldest sister went to St. Lawrence Basillica, to arrange the service. There were flowerers to order, someone had to write the obituary, and my middle sister, took care of the food and arranged to have a reception at Jubilee in Asheville. It was a busy couple of days.There was a picture board put together by a group of family members, with everyone contributing pictures. It was hard, but we were all together, supporting each other.

Finally home !!!

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Susan Habel RN, Tammy Mace RN, Lara Mooney LPN, "Cookie" Maude Romeo, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, NC Board of Nursing, NC Medical Board and NCDHHS.
Two years ago today, at 5:07 in the morning, I received the call that would change my life. I did not recognize the number or the voice on the other end. The caller with a Hispanic accent told me that Mom was not breathing, and they were trying to resuscitate her. I couldn't believe what I was hearing, time seemed to freeze. I asked her to repeat what she had just told me, and asked her if she was sure she dialed the right number. She responded that she was trying to reach me, at my number, and repeated what she had told me. I told her I would be right there, it took me maybe ten minutes to get to Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. When I pulled up, there was a Blue Ridge Fire Department pickup truck out front.
I ran to the front door, and had to ring the bell to get someone to let me in. There was one cna, that answered the door. I rushed down the hall and was met at the desk by Tammy Mace RN. She looked upset, and she told me they had taken Mom to Margret Pardee Hospital. She told me she was not breathing and they were doing all they could. I didn't know how to respond, I just ran to my truck, and headed for Pardee as quick as I could. I arrived in time to see them taking someone inside from an ambulance, it had to be Mom. I went inside, the lady at the desk took my name, and told me to wait out front. They were bringing her in and would come and get me. I called my wife, and she and my son were leaving to come to the hospital.
It seemed like forever, but in about five minutes, the nurse took me back to the family room, a doctor came in and he told me Mom did not make it. I started crying and my wife and son came in and we all cried. I had called my brother and sisters while I was waiting out front. I had to call them all again, and tell them what I was just told.I am not a strong person, when it comes to this kind of thing. It was the hardest thing I have ever had to do in my life. I couldn't believe what was happening, she was supposed to be coming home that morning. What happened?
Family started arriving pretty quickly, and I was forced to tell the story over and over again. I had to explain how someone who was supposed to be discharged that day suddenly died. My religious beliefs told me that Mom was in a better place. I was in strange territory trying to make everyone else feel better. Mom had gone home, home to be with pop, and her own sister, mother and father. I was happy for her and my heart was broken for the rest of us.
My oldest sister and I had to sign the paper to have Mom's  body taken to the mortuary. My youngest sister and I had to go to the mortuary to make the final arrangements there. The rest of the family as a group, took care of everything else. Due to the situation at Mom's house, my house became the gathering place. It was comforting to have all of my family at my house. Looking back, I probably had it the easiest, surrounded by the people I love the most.
 My family is much different than it was two years ago. I cant remember the last time all the brothers and sisters got together. Lots of things happened between Mom's surgery and her passing. There were lots of times that we didn't all see the same way. I know that in our own way each of us was wanting what was best for Mom. We just didn't all see things the same way. I miss my family and pray every day that things will change. I hope in time everyone can forgive each other and things could go back to normal, whatever that is.
I miss Mom, and think about her every day. I still want to know what really happened, two years ago.

The statute of limitations on filing a lawsuit is two years. As of Monday morning they have no reason to withhold the truth any longer. A little truth from Hendersonville Health and rehabilitation, could give my family closure. What really happened the night Mom fell, what really happened the morning of November 3, 2011. They have nothing to lose by telling the truth now.

Getting ready to go home!!

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
Two years ago, today would have beeb a Wednedsay. I would have been up getting ready for work now. It was an exciting day for the family, Mom was coming home tomorrow. Finally this long journey was finally going to be over. There would be challenges, but they would be handled by people who loved and cared for her. Everything was falling into place, all the necessary equipment was at my sisters house, where Mom was going to complete her healing.
I went into work, and got breakfast started, then when my cashier arrived I took Mom her red grapefruit, and a cup of coffee. I was going to miss my morning visits, and having her so close to my work. We sat and talked for a while. Mom was a little nervous, not about going home, but about upsetting one of her children about where she would stay. She agreed that the choice she had made was the most practical. Mom's physical condition had improved considerably in the last month, and she knew that she would be back in her own house soon. She talked about what she had been through since the surgery, and she joked about getting out of the "haunted house" as she called Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation.
Her roommate and friend Marsha, had been discharged a day or so before, and she had a new roommate that morning. Marsha had been great, all of us had gotten to know her pretty well. She would do what she was able to help Mom, and to get the nurses, when they didn't come for the call bells. She and Mom had exchanged contact information, and become friends.
I went back to work, after assisting Mom to the bathroom, and waiting for someone to come help her out, just like I did every day. That afternoon, I did not visit with Mom like I usually did. My wife and son came and picked Mom up to run errands. The first stop was her bank, where she went in and got her account straitened out, and withdrew a little money to go shopping. From there they went to Wal Mart, she wanted to have a new pair of jeans, and a top to wear home tomorrow . This was not the first time she had been out. My sister had taken her to Church a couple of times, she had been to at least one doctors appointment . One night that week my wife, son, and I had taken and her to her grandsons band concert, followed by a trip to Sonic for a treat! She was so proud of all of her grandchildren and would never miss something like a concert, ballgame, or birthday party. That's what mattered to her, she lived for her family.
It's strange looking back, that there was not one employee at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, who Mom would miss. You would think after fifteen days of being "cared for" by them, she would have gotten close to at least one of them. I guess if they ever spent any time with her, they would have bonded some. The people she had spent the most time with were the occupational, and physical therapists. There was one young physical therapist, that she would joke with, and he seemed to really care about her. I regret not getting his name, as he would be the one positive element at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. Just so happens that the therapists are not employees of Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation.
I would bet that since two years ago, that there is probably very few of the same employees at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. I know that the records clerk I spoke to is gone, along with several nurses, the director of nursing, and the administrator. This is very common in most of these places. The employees are overworked, and understaffed all the time. If they stay, they are desperate for a job, and they become very resentful towards the residents. I have said before that I know there are good people working at these places, but the bad ones overshadow the good ones.
There is no reason for them not to have enough staff. The profits they are making are ridiculous, if they would reinvest in the employees, the care would be much better.
 SanStone, somehow got approval to build a new facility in Mills River NC. They are partners with Fletcher Academy, a private school? I cant seem to figure that one out, other than the fact that Beystone is on the same property as the school is now. The new facility is being built to replace Beystone, and was going to be named as such. That has changed to The Lodge at Mills River, I am guessing that is due to the low one star rating that Beystone has.
 It also has a warm comfortable feeling to it. Take away the health and rehabilitation from the name , and  it seems like a vacation! I guess we'll have to wait and see. My bet is that Mills River will regret letting them move there, no matter how many jobs it creates. People in Mills River, will hold the minority of those jobs there. And expect to hear a lot of ambulances, for the unfortunate residents that don't live through their stay at the Lodge.

Reasonable doubt ???

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
The other day , I had to go in to Memorial  Mission Hospital for medical test's . It was the first time I had been there in two years. Walking in that waiting room brought back memories of sitting there two years ago.
The last two years have been a rollercoaster. My brother and I have been reviewing the medical records from Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. It is now apparent that things were not quite as they appeared.
The records show things that were not obvious at the time. As I said before, we found problems with Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, but they seemed minor at the time. And Mom was coming home in just four more days. If we had seen these records then, one of us would have been spending the night those last four days.
On the evening of the 29th of October, Mom became upset, due to a disagreement about where she was going to be staying when she got released. That night, she asked for some thing to calm her down. She was prescribed Ativan to help her relax, so she could sleep. Early in the morning of the 30th, she experienced her first fall. That morning when I visited, she had a band aid on her arm. When I asked what happened she told me she had fallen, and scraped her arm. The nurse on duty that morning, confirmed the fall . It was not represented as a serious fall. Mom of course made a joke about it, she said it felt like somebody filled her shoes with shit and slid her across the room.  
Lara Mooney LPN, was the nurse on duty that night. The nurses note concerning the fall was dated December 1st, one month after Moms death. The "late entry" says that nurse Mooney was standing in the doorway, watched Mom remove her alarm, and slide to the floor.
The distance from the doorway to the side of the bed was maybe 15 steps at most. I find it hard to believe that Mom was able to remove her alarm and reposition herself to slide out of bed, before nurse Mooney could walk 15 steps . The other problem  I have is why would she attempt to get out of bed without help from nurse Mooney. Did the nurse not ask her to wait till she got around the bed to help.
The roommates account is quite different from nurse Mooney's . The roommate said she was awakened to hear Mom calling for help from the floor. She said her pants were around her ankles, and that she was face down in the floor. When she realized what happened, she pulled the call light and waited. Then she says she saw two cna's walking by the room, and called out to them to help. They entered the room, and called nurse Mooney. When nurse Mooney arrived she told them to take her vitals and get her back in bed. Mom's records reflect that her vitals were taken around 3:oo am. That's the only time they ever took her vitals at that time of the morning.
 My wife was in the room, when nurse Mooney brought her the medication and saw Mom take the pill.  That was between three and four in the afternoon. There is no record of her ever receiving the Ativan . Although my wife witnessed her being given what was supposed to be Ativan .
Now twelve hours later, she witnesses the fall, and cant stop her? It is amazing that a month after the fall she still remembers exactly what happened, after working at least twelve hours.
Is that enough reason to cause reasonable doubt about Lara Mooney's story. I sure think so. Nurse Mooney is now at Fleishers Fairview Health Care. If you have someone in there beware, especially if Lara Mooney is working night shift!

Home for the Holidays!

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
This time two years ago, things were looking pretty good for Mom. Her participation in physical and occupational therapy was increasing daily. She was able to walk just about anywhere with the help of a walker. I would visit every day after work, and she would usually be in therapy. The therapist would tell her to do something ten times, Mom would always do two or three more. For the first time since the surgery, she was showing her determination to go home.
The family was visiting every day from early morning to bed time. Still,  things were happening to cause some concerns. The shower issue, the response time to the call bells, finding Mom naked from the waist down, "drying off ", as the nurse called it.
 The social worker was called in to discuss things, her response was that everything was normal. The issues were important to us, but when you see someone getting better, that's what you notice most. There was a family meeting scheduled to discuss these problems. That particular meeting happened to be when they decided that Mom had reached her goals, and was ready to go home. They were back and forth, first it was to be November 2, then changed to November 3.
This was the best news we had had received since September 7th, the day she had her surgery. There was some disagreement where Mom was going to be staying at first. But everyone did what they could to get the necessary medical equipment.
 Mom made the decision to stay at my oldest sisters house. Simply because it was the only place she could have someone with her round the clock, as she continued to recover. Considering the fact that my oldest sister had been sleeping in a chair at Mom's when she was home the first time. It just made sense, plus there were only two small steps to get in the front door.
With the good news, the problems with Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation seemed less important. Getting Mom out of there took priority over every thing else, she only had five more days. Finally things were getting better, Mom would be home for the Holidays.

Stand Up!!!

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
I spend a lot of time reading about nursing homes. I read the reviews on Medicare.gov, and the NCDHHS website. It seems that the information should be similar. One would think that the agency that inspect these places, and the agency that rates them, would have the same information. If the inspection results so important in choosing a home, are not readily available, how can a person make good decisions.
When you find yourself having to make this kind of decision, you are usually at the mercy of time. You do not have the luxury of searching multiple websites, for the truth.
My purpose is to attract enough attention to this situation, to make a change. There is nothing I can do to bring back my mother. I intend to honor her by helping others. That's what Mom was so good at, no matter what was going on Mom was always there to help. My father had some pretty sketchy friends, he would sometimes offer them to stay at their house. Mom was not always pleased to find out, and most of the time she didn't know until they were standing on the doorstep. She never turned any one away. Mom was love in every sense of the word.
I find myself in situations sometimes where, I feel as though it is up to me to represent Mom. My entire life has changed. I feel that her passing has made me a better person. I am still convinced, that Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, and Dr. Larry Joe Russell are responsible for her death. I have seen so many death certificates signed by Dr. Russell that I cant believe so many people fail to thrive, in a nursing home.
There are laws that protect the nursing homes from any form of retribution. The NCDHHS is the main agency charged with regulating them, they are not doing their jobs. Simple changes in some laws would fix the problem. At least till the money people figure out how to get around them.
I am shocked at the lack of value placed on the lives of the elderly. At what age does a person become irrelevant. Who makes that decision, the hospitals, nursing homes, or God forbid, the government.
I have been in contact with my congressman, and met with a representative from his office. I have asked for a meeting with the Congressman, and have been ignored for seven months. I have asked to speak to any committee that would deal with healthcare, still no response. I will get noticed eventually, even if I have to catch them at a town hall meeting. I would love to see them talk around the issues I would discuss.
People need to stand up to the government before it is too late. I am standing up now, and will continue till I can no longer stand. It is the people of this country that makes it great. It is not the president, congress, senators, or any branch of government. We need the people to stand up and be great again. Get involved in something you are passionate about, and together we can take our country back.

Bigger than the FBI ?

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
Two years, that's how long ago it was. Most people would have given up by now. I wish I could find a reason to give up. The problem is that, the further away I get, the worse it all looks. There is no doubt in my mind, that something went terribly wrong on November 3, 2011. I cant say for sure whether it was intentional or not. I can say that the staff at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation did all they could do to cover it up. I can also say that the NCDHHS, did everything they could do to help them cover it up.
I have filed complaints with the NCDHHS, the NC Medical Board, the NC Board of Nursing, The NC Pharmacy Board ,the  NC State Medical Examiners office  and C.M.S. The weird thing is that no matter what I showed them , none of them could find anything wrong. The thinking is simply, "old people die", it has been echoed by all of the agencies listed above.
Although we have provided them all with plenty of proof, and reasons for suspicions, they still refuse to look at what we give them. When we met with the FBI, the agent told us that we had given him plenty to start an investigation. He even kept in touch with us for a while. Then he started not answering calls, and ignoring emails. The last meeting we had with the FBI, there was another agent there, we'll call him agent Andy. He was almost hostile towards us. He didn't even know the laws that we were referencing. He thought they were civil laws, sue, sue, sue. This is an FBI agent, the very ones who are supposed to enforce these laws.
Just seems all too coincidental, that the initial agent has now transferred  to another branch of enforcement. That makes Jennifer Thomas, Cookie "Maude" Romeo, Susan Habel RN, Lara Mooney LPN, Gail Maloney, Western regional director of the NCDHHS, and now our contact with the FBI, all gone somewhere else, in just two years. I guess it is not good for your career to meet with us.
Is this just a coincidence, or are we on to something bigger than even the FBI. If you consider everything that has happened with health care in the past years, It's not to hard to believe. Someone, with a lot of political clout has a whole lot to lose.
Sooner or later we will get the attention, of someone who is not getting paid off by these heartless people. There are still good people out there, it just takes a lot longer to find them than it used to!

Timeline: Mom was admitted to Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation on November 19, 2011. This would be day six. According to her medical records, she would have had one shower so far. She was starting to really work hard at her therapy. Mom was determined to go home.

True colors?

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
If you have read any of my post's, you've probably figured out that I am not happy about what happened to my Mom at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. This would have been her fourth day, two years ago. By this time, things were looking up, as far as Mom's recovery. She was finally able to start participating in rehabilitation, and was starting to eat more. There was another woman in the room, and we became friends quickly. She quickly became friends with Mom, and would help watch out for her.
On another note, Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, was starting to show their true colors. There were some friendly nurses, and cna's but they were the exception to the rule. For the most part, they seemed to be annoyed that they had to help Mom to the bathroom. Getting a shower, became a real task, and there was only so much we could do. There was nothing serious yet, but it was becoming apparent that they didn't have enough staff.
One of us would be there almost all the time. Mom was getting more and more active in her therapy. Although this was not the ideal place, it would have to do. After all, twenty days was the maximum Medicare would pay. The family took up the slack for the lack of staff, and Mom was not left alone except at night. She would make jokes about how creepy it was at night.
When you are in this situation, what matters is that the person you love, is getting better. You do not see the mixed up medical records. You don't know what happens at night, you just know they are getting better. We had spent the last month watching Mom struggle, to get better. Now she was starting to really improve, that's what we noticed. At this point two years ago, the whole family was relieved to see her improve.
As I said before, things were going better. The problems with Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, seemed manageable. The family was more than happy to provide the care that we were able to. This was just the first week, and nothing major had gone wrong yet. We were starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
More to come.

Meet my Mom ! For memories on Mothers day! a repost

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
I have been writing about nursing homes and things that happen to their residents. The stories I am writing are real, and things need to change. These people are using the disguise of caregivers to get rich. They are using the elderly like they are not humans. Well now I'm going to switch this up for today . These people need to know who they are killing. Today, I am going to tell you about my Mom.
Mom was born in New York, her father was a photographer, and her mom was a housewife. Mom had an older sister, Jane. With my grandfather being in the news business, they travelled quite a bit. Mostly between New York and Miami, but her fathers' work took him all over the world.
My parents met at a camp near Black Mountain NC. Mom was a counselor at the camp and pop worked with the horses. I remember my dad taking us there when we were young, to see where they met.
Mom had five children, my brother is the oldest, I'm second followed by three sisters. We are all married and have children. Some of our children have children, making Mom a great grandmother. All five of us spoke to Mom at least once a week, and some daily. Any decision we made was run by her first. She knew the best and worst things any of us had done. She loved us all the same, and would defend any one of us against, anyone, including each other.
Mom loved her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren. We were the center of her world, and she was the center of ours. Family gatherings always included lots of food, and lots of friends. The family even included the ex spouses of those who had them. Once you joined the family, you never got out!
I know if we were not all up here, Mom would have gone back to Florida. She loved Miami, and had worked for the Miami News when she was younger. She loved Cuban coffee, café con leche, the food vendors on the streets, the beach, and the variety of foods available. She would take the bus from their apartment on the beach, to downtown to work. The last job she had before moving to NC, was in a law office downtown. She was tough, especially on the bus. People would shove and push, but Mom held her own, she knew how to throw a mean shoulder.
My dad passed away in 2008, Mom stayed in the house, with my middle sister, her husband and three children. She would help with the care of the youngest, who was two at the time. She had her own car and went when and where she wanted. Sundays, you would find her at St. Lawrence Basilica, she was Catholic, and brought us all up Catholic.
Mom loved Christmas, and made sure she had the perfect gift for all. There were always extra gifts for people who showed up unexpectedly. You never knew who was going to be at family functions, but you knew it eas not just going to be family
She would have an occasional drink. It was not unusual for her to drop the f bomb, in certain circumstances. If you cut her off on the road, you got the middle finger. Her life had taken her from the social circles of New York and Miami, to the ghetto of North Carolina, and anywhere in between.
Then in 2010, on a routine visit to the doctor, they saw something unusual, around the optic nerve.The doctors decided to watch it, but it was getting worse There was a chance that if ignored, she would go blind. Mom did not want any of her children to know exactly what was going on. She didn't want anyone to worry about her. But most of all she did not have any intention of losing her eyesight. Due to the political climate, and the fear of losing Medicare, arrangements were made for the surgery.
My wife and I picked Mom up at 5:00 am on September 7, 2011. She had gotten up and showered with the special soap given to her by the surgeon. She made her bed, so no one else would have to do it when she came home. I don't know for a fact but I'd be willing to bet that she kissed each sleeping grandchild on the cheek, before she left.
After we arrived at Mission, they checked her in and took her to be prepared for the surgery. As my wife and I waited, my brother arrived. We each had a few minutes to visit, before they took her back. I asked if she was afraid, she said she was a little nervous, but everything would be fine.
The surgery took longer than expected, my wife, brother and I sat and waited. Making calls and getting calls from the other siblings, to update what was happening. Then, they called us over to a desk, where we met Dr. Harold Picus. He explained what he had done, and said Mom had come through it well. Dr. Picus expected a full recovery! That's where it really began to sink in, that the surgery was a little more serious than we were led to believe.
That was the beginning of this journey.

They're everywhere !

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
I have said before, two years ago, I didn't even know where Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation was. I couldn't tell you who or what SanStone was. It is one of those things that just didn't matter. Now it is hard to go a day without hearing or seeing something to do with them. I drive to the gym, and next door is Beystone. I have been going there for six years, and never even noticed Beystone. The other day I had a doctors appointment, while being led to the exam room, I pass some unfortunate lady in a wheelchair, marked Stone Creek. I see the SanStone transport van, almost daily. The worst thing is the SanStone commercials, especially the ones for Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. The commercial shows happy elderly people talking about how wonderful it is there. It doesn't show the residents laying in their bed begging for a shower. Nor does it show the people given the wrong medication, dropped by a nurse, soaked in their own urine, or starving to death. Also known as " failure to thrive " by Dr. Russell.
I don't know what kind of drugs those people are on, or how much they get paid, but Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation is nothing like home! The commercials talk about how they care for you like their own family. I'm glad I'm not part of that family. If they are taking such good care of their patients, how come they have such a low star rating on Medicare.gov. ? I heard a radio commercial today, with all the usual lies, it mentioned Beystone. Beystone has a one star rating with Medicare.gov. Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation has a two star rating, that's out of five possible stars. Both ratings are considered " well below average ", is that how you would treat your family? I wont even stay in a hotel, that has below three stars.
I also know that Medicare .gov, is not kept up to date, as far as inspections. It is virtually impossible to tell what kind of place you are trusting your loved ones life to. The only way to truly know is your gut feeling, there is no factual rating system currently available. This is one of the issues that needs to be addressed. NCDHHS does their inspection, it doesn't appear on Medicare.gov ratings for months.
If they can afford to advertise so much, they can afford to take better care of the patients. They can afford to have enough staff, even at night. The nursing home business is so profitable, some State retirement funds are invested in them. Other major corporations, like GE, are invested in them as well. There is plenty of money leftover to bribe politicians, on a local and national level.
The regulations on nursing homes are very non specific. The laws are definitely slanted in their direction. That's why it's so difficult to get any of the agencies to take action. These agencies include, NC Board of Nursing, NC Medical Board, NC Pharmacy Board, NC State Medical Examiners Office, NC QIO, C.M.S, and especially NCDHHS. Even if you go so far as to give them the statutes being violated, nothing happens.
It is not easy to know that there is proof that everything I mention, is actually happening. I have proof, and cant get one single agency to pay attention. The attitude is that I am only one person, it takes more. I know there are people who have more information than I do. They need to stand up, and make a difference.
Both my parents are gone, I am not fighting for them. The issue, is the people who are still with us. If anyone you know is close to needing nursing home care, this should worry you. Be vigilant with checking out the home. Once they are in a home, if something looks wrong, do something. Don't buy into their advertising, even if it makes you feel better. They are profiting from selling you what they don't provide.
I may be a little bitter, but if you look up the issues they are written up for, it would make you bitter too. How can they get away with these things. There are very few things that they get fined for. Most of the fines are levied against smaller independent homes. The big ones get away with murder. The proof is written in the NCDHHS surveys, and on Medicare.gov.

This would be day one.

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
October 19,2011, two years ago today. I had never heard of Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, or SanStone, until then. Mom was admitted in the late afternoon that day. She was transferred from Mission Hospital, via Arc' Angel Ambulance.
 My sister was with her when I arrived. A CNA came into the room and took Mom's vital signs and asked us some questions. The whole family was feeling upbeat, after all she had been through, she was finally out of the hospital.
Sitting in the room visiting that first day was somewhat eerie. There was someone across the hall that, was moaning, and kept calling for "Jenny". Mom was tired from the move, she ate a little dinner, and everyone left her to rest, for the night. Everyone except my oldest sister, she had been spending the nights in Mom's room for a while, and that night would be no different.
The next day Mom was supposedly seen by Dr. Larry Joe Russell. Someone was with her the whole day, and no one ever saw Dr. Russell. She seemed to be adjusting to her surroundings, and determined to get well enough to go home. It was nice having Mom so close to my work. I would visit each morning, with a cup of coffee and red grapefruit. Mom would have already had breakfast. The tray would still be in the room, and there would be food all over the bed and floor. Mom was not able to see her food, and it would end up everywhere. She would always tell me that she did not get what she had ordered. We would talk for a while, and Mom would pull the call light, for help going to the bathroom. She was not supposed to get up without at least one person to assist. We would wait a while and I would eventually help her to the bathroom, then I would have to go find someone to help her out of the bathroom. Some days,the call light would be on for ten minutes or more, and I still had to go find someone to help. Mom was fortunate enough to have visitors all day, to help her as needed, I can only imagine how bad it would have been if she hadn't. For the first time since her surgery on September 7, things were looking up!

What does it take????

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Mike Deloach, Christopher Sprenger, and NCDHHS.
I am just an ordinary person. I am not a politician, law enforcement, I have nothing to gain from these posts.
 Today was a very difficult day for me. I received two different emails, both were discouraging. One was from someone in the media, telling me that they were not interested in Mom's story, because they had done so many like it. "Really"? Is this not a sign that something is wrong? So many elderly nursing home patients die suspiciously, and that's old news? What's wrong with this picture??
The other email was from a law enforcement agency, that is supposed to investigate these kind of crimes. The email stated that they were so understaffed, and that one case was not enough to pursue. How many does it take ? Would they investigate if it were five? What they don't consider is that anything you find at one SanStone facility is happening at all six of their places.
Do I not have any rights as a tax paying citizen, am I not entitled to any consideration? What about my Mom, she was seventy six, and had been a taxpayer for a long time. Is she not entitled to representation. I guess when someone dies, they are just forgotten. I cant forget.
I cant forget the fact that Mom was not suffering from any life threatening health issues. I cant forget that SanStone did everything they could to prevent me from finding out what happened. I cant forget the fact that Lara Mooney LPN, lied on a nursing report. Most of all, I cant forget that the NCDHHS, ignored crucial facts that prove that Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation violated DHHS regulations.
What has to happen in order for the governing authorities to take action. Does someone need to be standing there with a camera, recording the event? What is reason for suspicion? Falsified documents and medical records? Conflicting stories by several different people ?  Two sets of medical records, with a different number of pages ?
Today I found myself on the verge of giving up. They have strung me along for two years. This is why they operate without any fear. They know that all the governing agencies, take so long to respond.  Who in their right mind would continue to pursue anything for two years ?
Well as I sit here typing, I refuse to give up. I know that bad things are happening to the residents at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. I have had people tell me stories, that you couldn't make up. Yet with all of this, I cant seem to get anyone to stand up for those they lost.
 All I need to help make a difference, is for some of these people to stand up for their loved ones. I don't know how many it will take, but I know it will take more than one. Several agencies have said that they are maintaining a file on these people. Any more complaints, and they will have to react. I know someone else must care enough to help. I will continue to talk about what happened to Mom and, I will continue to write my stories. Sooner or later I will meet the person or people who refuse to let these people get away with murder.
Maybe it will be today, that would be awesome. If not I will not give up. I know what kind of things are happening in these places. I believe there are good people who will stand up sooner or later. I have no choice than to wait.
As for the NCDHHS, and all the other agencies involved, I will continue to complain and write letters. I will not stop looking for others willing to help. I have seen a terrible wrong, and my conscience will not let me walk away.

The recording!

Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Lara Mooney LPN, Susan Habel RN and " Cookie " Maude Romeo.
I have been telling a story about what happened to my Mother at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. It is a difficult thing for me to do and I know it is painful for my family to read.
I am going to break the story line and share what took place this evening. I was going through my CD's and organizing them. I left my thirteen year old son in the sunroom, listening to his CD's. I went out to watch tv. I went back to the sunroom, and my son had found a CD that was made from a recorder that my brother had given Mom. She was not able to see well enough to write on paper, so he thought it would be easier for her to record her thoughts.
My son had started listening to the CD of Mom's recording. When I walked into the room and heard Mom's voice, we both started crying. I could not tell him to turn it off.
 The beginning was my brother explaining to Mom how to use the recorder. Then she spoke about a meeting where they told her she had met her goals, and she was going to "get out" on November 2, 2011. At a later point on the tape, my brother tells Mom that the CNA had promised to give her a sponge bath that day. Later after my brother had gone, Mom turned the recorder back on. She said it was 3:00 and she had still not been given a sponge bath. Hearing her voice say that she really needed a change of clothes and a sponge bath, because she was getting quite "fragrant" was hard to listen to. It reminded me why I have been so persistent to do something about the substandard care, that these helpless people endure. It strengthened my resolve to get something done about the flaws in the system. Someone has to care about these people.
Listening to Moms voice was almost hypnotizing, it was comforting and painful at the same time.
 It was near Halloween and they were talking about haunted houses. Mom made the comment that being in Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation was like being in a haunted house. She went on to say how people would be moaning and screaming for help. It made us laugh to hear the way she was saying it, and made us cry to think about it.
My son is strong, he continued to listen for another fifteen minutes, I could not. At one point, Mom is asked what she wants for Christmas. Her answer was simple, she just wanted to see where she was going. He misses his Grandmother and I miss my Mom.
 I am convinced that the lack of care that she received at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation was the reason for her death. I refuse to stop asking questions until I know for sure what happened. I know that Lara Mooney and Susan Habel, know exactly what caused her to die.
This post is different from most. It is more personal and does not follow the story. I will get back in order on my next post.

Ready to go home?

SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Family Medical Center, 510 Balsam Rd. Hendersonville Nc., Susan Habel ,Rn. , Lori Garren,  Rn, "Cookie" Maude Romeo, and NC Board of Nursing, Care Partners, and Mission Hospital.
This time two years ago, Mom was in Mission Hospital in Asheville NC. She had been readmitted after about a week at Home. It was obvious at this time, that she should have never been released from Care Partners, in Asheville. Actually, she was not ready when they ran her out of Mission, after the surgery.
 This is why everyone should have a medical power of attorney. That is the only way you have any authority to stop them from being railroaded out if they're not ready. After the surgery, Mom was the only one that could stop them, and she really wanted to get out of there. They asked her if she was ready to go home, her reply was " if you say I am ".On the day she was to be discharged, my brother caught a nurse in the hall, and after some discussion, the nurse said she would see what she could do. She came back later on with tears in her eyes, and said she had postponed Mom's discharge. It was obvious that she was not ready to go anywhere, but we were powerless.
Two days later she was sent to Care Partners, in an ambulance. At this point, her progress was almost at a standstill. While at Care Partners, she wasn't eating or drinking enough, and was barely participating in her therapy. They would bring her food in and just leave it to get cold. We started taking turns going at meal time, to help her eat. We started bringing home cooked meals, and food we knew she would eat. She was beginning to regain her strength and actually recover from the surgery. But again, at the end of the Medicare approved stay, Care Partners decided she was magically ready to go home. They were nice enough to help us get the home medical supplies that would be needed.
Mom was finally home, she was sleeping in her own bed. She required round the clock care, everyone took turns looking after her. My sister spent the night every night in a chair at the end of the bed. It took two people to help with her showers, and she was unable to walk without assistance. Care Partners was supposed to provide home therapy, for a couple of weeks. The first time they were supposed to be there, the therapist called, and was lost. She cancelled, and said she would reschedule. After one week at home, Mom was back in Mission, she was slightly dehydrated, and was suffering with hemorrhoids.
The problems she was having, really had nothing to do with her surgery. They were a result of her premature discharge, first from Mission, then Care Partners. The problem was that she was forced to rehab before she was ready, and when she was able to participate, it wasn't long enough. It seemed that the medical personnel, had given up on her. Well, my Mom was a fighter, and she was not giving up, and we were not giving up on her!
The doctor at Mission this time was the ER doctor. He was the only one that really helped her to begin to recover. She was taken off several of her medications, and started improving. My sister later found out that some of the medications Care Partners sent her home with, were not supposed to be taken together. Things were looking up, but the family was deteriorating quickly.
More to come.

Let me explain

SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Family Medical Center, 510 Balsam Rd. Hendersonville Nc., Susan Habel ,Rn. , Lori Garren,  Rn, "Cookie" Maude Romeo, and NC Board of Nursing.
In my last post I said I was drawn into this battle, let me explain. It all started when I went to Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, trying to peace together the last moments of Moms life. When I received the call the morning of Nov. 3, 2011, telling me that Mom had stopped breathing, it was unreal. She had gone shopping, and to the bank with my wife and son the evening before, she had been excited to be going home. Mom had made some progress, but still had a way to go. She was definitely doing better than she had been.  Then all of the sudden, for no apparent reason, her heart stopped, and she stopped breathing.
After all Mom had been through, it just didn't make sense that this was happening. She had survived the surgery, with very few complications. She had actually been through rehab at Care Partners, without a single fall. Mom had made it all the way home, just to end up back in Mission hospital, with hemorrhoids. Although hemorrhoids, can be painful, I have never known them to be fatal, until now.
This journey began when I met with Susan Habel, Rn, Tammy Mace, Rn, and Lori Garren, Rn, at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. The story I got from them did not match the story I had been told the morning Mom died. If they had nothing to hide, why were they trying so hard. To this day there are questions I have asked them directly, and through the NCDHHS, that they have not answered. What would be the reason, for them to withhold anything from the family?
In the beginning, I believed that the NCDHHS would make them answer. Apparently, the NCDHHS does not care about what happens to patients in these facilities. They found no reason to investigate any further, despite meeting with us, and all the discrepancies in the information we had gathered. Even with a signed statement from Mom's roommate, contradicting the nurses notes about the fall.
I have emails back and forth from the NC Board of Nursing, concerning Lara Mooney, LPN. According to the NC Board of nursing Lara Mooney was " strongly cautioned " in regards to record keeping. I asked specifically, why she was cautioned, and they referred me to their attorney. Their attorney, Jack Nichols, has been investigated along with the board of nursing, ( see link below ).
www.bluenc.com/jack-nichols-license-steal%3F%3F%3F
 All of this, and the NCDHHS found no deficiencies, at Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation. If this was your mother, would you just accept this, and go on with your life? I cant, therefore the battle began.
I cant afford a scumbag attorney, like Mr. Nichols to fight for me. I am forced to find what I can with the help of my big brother. There are people reading this that can help us, but, they will not. If you are aware of any of these wrongdoings, please help. There are employees, family members, and even spouses that have useful information. Please contact me, and stop this cycle of abuse!
Call and leave your number, I promise, I will call you back. 828-697-6823

The grand deception!

SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Family Medical Center, 510 Balsam Rd. Hendersonville Nc.
The battle began in the fall of 2011.  I did not begin this journey, looking for a fight, I began it looking for peace. The fight was brought to me, it was brought to me by the people listed above. These people are ruthless business owners, who have no regard for human life. The only thing that they care about is money.
 On the outside, the facilities they run appear to be well maintained. The grass is cut, flowers planted, fresh mulch, and nice little split rail fences. The entryways have planters and rocking chairs and a front porch kind of feel. You've probably driven by them, or others like them, without even noticing them. That's what they want, to not be noticed.
If you ever have a reason to go inside, be prepared. The furniture in the common areas kind of goes along with the outside. Then you go into one of the rooms, that's where you see what they really are. The paint on the walls has scratches in it and is dirty. The furniture that is crammed into the small rooms, is cheap and old. There are two small hospital beds and hospital chairs, separated by a curtain.  In Mom's room there was a small tv with an antennae, there was a window on the other side of the room, looking out on a one hole putting green.
 The wheelchairs do not have foot rests, this lets the patients use their legs to move throughout the building. If not, they would spend their days sitting in their rooms in the wheelchairs, waiting for someone to push them. Rest assured, the staff levels are way to low to push patients anywhere they don't absolutely have to go. They will make sure the patient is able to get to the therapy room, even if they are not able to participate in therapy. This generates income for them above and beyond room and board.
Most patients are not there for the view, the furniture, or the landscaping. They are there for nursing care. Ironically, that is the where the problem is. These homes run with dangerously low staff levels. They staff heavily during the day, when people are visiting their loved ones. At night they cut down to next to nothing, sometimes having only one nurse to cover several halls. care. I have not found anything in writing, that says they are required to have any particular ratio, of staff to patients . When something goes wrong at night, the staff is inadequate to handle it. That's when people die.
The staff levels are so low, that they start waking patients as early as 4:00 am. They have to do this in order to distribute medicine, and preform required tasks, before the end of their shift . This is the only time some patients see a nurse all day. The CNA's are the ones that assist with toileting, showering, dressing and other routine tasks.
On one visit, my brother asked Mom, what he could do for her before he left. Mom replied that she would really love to have a shower. She said it had been several days, and she was getting kind of "rank". My brother then went out in search of someone. He found a CNA, and asked her if Mom could get a shower. The CNA, promised my brother, that she would get to Mom, but she had six others in front of her. Even with incontinence issues, and potential skin breakdown, we could only find evidence of three showers, and one sponge bath. This is over a period of fifteen days.
You could argue, that the family should have noticed these issues during Mom's stay. In our defense, when you are going through something like this, life is in turmoil. You are forced with making decisions, that you are not prepared to make. Do you have your own Mom, the family leader, declared incompetent. That was Mom's biggest fear, that she would not be in charge of her own life.
Looking back, with the knowledge that we have now, I think any one of us would have taken that step. At the time, there were plenty of other issues to deal with. Where was mom going to stay, that would be best for her recovery. What arrangements needed to be made for medical equipment at home, what therapy would be necessary, the list never ends. Then you take into consideration, that Mom was not sick. She was simply there to get her strength back, with the help of the therapists.
At one point, we had issues with Hendersonville Health an Rehabilitation, and complained about some of the issues listed. There was a family meeting scheduled, with the administration. My brother and oldest sister attended the meeting. They were told at that time, that Mom had reached her goals, and would be discharged on November 3' 2011. There was little to no mention of the issues, and the family was so glad that she was coming home, that's what mattered most.
My advice to everyone, is to have a person that you trust as your medical power of attorney. This is extremely important during treatment. It is also the only way to obtain any kind of information from the facility, in the event of death.