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!
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
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.
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.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
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.
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.
Friday, October 25, 2013
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 22, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, October 21, 2013
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.
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.
Saturday, October 19, 2013
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!
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!
Friday, October 18, 2013
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.
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.
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
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.
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.
Tuesday, October 15, 2013
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.
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.
Monday, October 14, 2013
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
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
Friday, October 11, 2013
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.
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.
Friday, October 4, 2013
How to start the fight !!
SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Family Medical Center, 510 Balsam Rd. Hendersonville Nc. ,and NCDHHS.
I have been writing about fighting. Not the kind of fighting that happens in schools, bars, and family reunions . I'm talking about fighting big money corporations, people who don't fight fair. These people have enough money to buy whatever and whoever they want. They are not used to losing, they are not even used to being questioned. They feel that they have enough " influence " to be above the law. It will not be easy to overcome their influence.
How do we fight them ? First of all they need to know that we are not afraid of them. They need to know that people wont just let things go. There is strength in numbers, groups of victims families need to unite.
The NCDHHS needs to be made to thoroughly investigate complaints. This is where it gets really complicated. The mother of all runarounds, every agency, defers judgment to the NCDHHS. I have reports that state that the NCDHHS didn't find anything wrong, nothing could be wrong. The NCDHHS was in Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, the week Mom died. They had to see the same things that we saw. They are either corrupt, or they are so used to seeing violations, they look right over them.
The NCDHHS will tell you they are the last word, they are not. The Office of the Inspector General, is the law enforcement agency that oversees them, the FBI is also another avenue. What you need to understand is that it is hard to get anyone to pay attention. The thing we have heard over and over, is, "old people die ". The reason the doctor gave in defense of his cause of death, was simply old age! My Grandmother lived to be ninety six, Mom died at seventy six. What is considered old to some is young to others. How old do you have to be to die from age alone? Where do they get that formula from?
Trust me if we keep fighting, we will eventually see things starting to change. Maybe, just by filing a complaint and causing an investigation, you will save someone's life. Maybe someone's grandchildren will have their grandmother at home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If anyone that had a reason to complain did, the NCDHHS would have to do something.
You cant just leave it at " its God's will", or I might lose my job. The O.I.G. has a whistleblower protection act, that would protect the jobs of employees willing to talk. It is even possible to receive a portion of any money recovered from reported fraud. As for God, it's not up to us to decide what is and isn't his will. It is up to us to look out for those who cant look out for themselves.
If nobody stands up against these people, we will all eventually end up at their mercy. If concern for your parents and grandparents doesn't get you involved, how about self preservation.
If you don't think things are bad, just go visit someone in one of these places. The smell of urine and feces alone is alarming. My house doesn't smell like that and I hope yours doesn't. The smell is the result of unsanitary conditions, caused mostly by a shortage of staff. If you go at night, you will most likely hear people moaning, or even screaming, just as we did. The things that happen in Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, are happening in all these places, in varying degrees.
Below is the link to the NCDHHS site that lists violations, if you think I am exaggerating go there and read for yourself.
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/facilities/results.asp
Here is the link to Medicare.gov, there are also inspection results posted here, they are just not very current. Go to the forms help and resources tab, a dropdown menu will give you the choice to find doctors,hospitals and facilities tab, click on find nursing homes ,enter a zip code, and the facilities will appear. Click on one of the homes, and go to the inspections tab. Once there you can click on any inspection listed, or show all inspections. Remember they are probably four to six months behind. It's funny, but some of the facilities like Beystone, have only one out of five stars. That is "well below average ", but there is nothing in the inspections that explains why. They let you see what they want you to see, they are able to hide the really bad stuff.
http://www.medicare.gov/
More to come
I have been writing about fighting. Not the kind of fighting that happens in schools, bars, and family reunions . I'm talking about fighting big money corporations, people who don't fight fair. These people have enough money to buy whatever and whoever they want. They are not used to losing, they are not even used to being questioned. They feel that they have enough " influence " to be above the law. It will not be easy to overcome their influence.
How do we fight them ? First of all they need to know that we are not afraid of them. They need to know that people wont just let things go. There is strength in numbers, groups of victims families need to unite.
The NCDHHS needs to be made to thoroughly investigate complaints. This is where it gets really complicated. The mother of all runarounds, every agency, defers judgment to the NCDHHS. I have reports that state that the NCDHHS didn't find anything wrong, nothing could be wrong. The NCDHHS was in Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, the week Mom died. They had to see the same things that we saw. They are either corrupt, or they are so used to seeing violations, they look right over them.
The NCDHHS will tell you they are the last word, they are not. The Office of the Inspector General, is the law enforcement agency that oversees them, the FBI is also another avenue. What you need to understand is that it is hard to get anyone to pay attention. The thing we have heard over and over, is, "old people die ". The reason the doctor gave in defense of his cause of death, was simply old age! My Grandmother lived to be ninety six, Mom died at seventy six. What is considered old to some is young to others. How old do you have to be to die from age alone? Where do they get that formula from?
Trust me if we keep fighting, we will eventually see things starting to change. Maybe, just by filing a complaint and causing an investigation, you will save someone's life. Maybe someone's grandchildren will have their grandmother at home for Thanksgiving and Christmas. If anyone that had a reason to complain did, the NCDHHS would have to do something.
You cant just leave it at " its God's will", or I might lose my job. The O.I.G. has a whistleblower protection act, that would protect the jobs of employees willing to talk. It is even possible to receive a portion of any money recovered from reported fraud. As for God, it's not up to us to decide what is and isn't his will. It is up to us to look out for those who cant look out for themselves.
If nobody stands up against these people, we will all eventually end up at their mercy. If concern for your parents and grandparents doesn't get you involved, how about self preservation.
If you don't think things are bad, just go visit someone in one of these places. The smell of urine and feces alone is alarming. My house doesn't smell like that and I hope yours doesn't. The smell is the result of unsanitary conditions, caused mostly by a shortage of staff. If you go at night, you will most likely hear people moaning, or even screaming, just as we did. The things that happen in Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, are happening in all these places, in varying degrees.
Below is the link to the NCDHHS site that lists violations, if you think I am exaggerating go there and read for yourself.
http://www.ncdhhs.gov/dhsr/facilities/results.asp
Here is the link to Medicare.gov, there are also inspection results posted here, they are just not very current. Go to the forms help and resources tab, a dropdown menu will give you the choice to find doctors,hospitals and facilities tab, click on find nursing homes ,enter a zip code, and the facilities will appear. Click on one of the homes, and go to the inspections tab. Once there you can click on any inspection listed, or show all inspections. Remember they are probably four to six months behind. It's funny, but some of the facilities like Beystone, have only one out of five stars. That is "well below average ", but there is nothing in the inspections that explains why. They let you see what they want you to see, they are able to hide the really bad stuff.
http://www.medicare.gov/
More to come
Thursday, October 3, 2013
Fight now!!
SanStone Health and Rehabilitation, Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation, Dr. Larry Joe Russell, Family Medical Center, 510 Balsam Rd. Hendersonville Nc. ,and NCDHHS.
The title of my last post was "would you fight", I ask you again, would you?
America has lost it's will to fight.
I come into contact with people on a regular basis, who have horror stories about what happened to their parents in nursing homes. I have spoken to employees that have first hand experience with the abuse and corruption. I have spoken directly to people with family members in abuse situations. They respond to ads on craigslist, family and caregivers alike. They tell me stories, specific proof of broken laws, and violations of regulations. They will talk to me on the phone, and in person. They talk to me at work, at the ball field and at church.
The one thing they all have in common, is they wont fight.
The church people seem to believe that "it's Gods will". I have never read anywhere in the Bible that says it's Gods will, for an elderly person to be left lying in their own urine, till there skin breaks down. Or for someone to be starved to death. It doesn't say anywhere that it is acceptable for someone to rape an elderly patient. I will not deny that these things happen, but are they really "Gods will"? They wont fight.
The people on craigslist are so eager to tell their stories to you, even meet with you in person. They talk about things that have happened, or are still happening to their parents, or patients. Ask them to speak to someone in regards to helping make a difference. They don't want to get involved. They wont fight.
I have spoken to more than one person, who has gone so far as to file a complaint, Time goes by, the complaint comes back marked with the usual , " No deficiencies found", letter. They may get angry and try to go a little further, but eventually they get tired of the runaround. They wont fight.
I have spoken to people working in the business that know more than I care to. I have asked them to get involved. They are afraid of losing their jobs. They wont fight
The people at the ballgame, share their stories on the bleachers. Then they find out that I am actively trying to stop the abuse. From then on, they avoid sitting near me on the bleachers. They wont fight.
As I am sitting here writing, the news is all about the government shutdown. Some are blaming the President, some are blaming Congress. Is anyone blaming themselves ?
When I was a child this kind of nonsense would not be happening, that generation, would fight. They fought against wars, civil rights violations, the right to vote, the same pay for the same job, abortions, the draft. People who were willing to fight are the reasons for the changes.
For some reason, I cant seem to get people to help fight the big companies abusing our seniors. No one seems to care about what is happening to these helpless people. The government agencies, charged with protecting them pass the buck back and forth. The church people are sticking to the " it's Gods will" response. All the rest don't want to get involved.
These people are getting rich, stealing from Medicare ,Medicaid private insurance, and the general public. We are all paying the price each and every day, in increased taxes, underfunded social security,and even untimely death.
When your loved one is in a nursing home, and being abused and neglected, will you fight then? If you wait till then, it's too late. Fight now!
The title of my last post was "would you fight", I ask you again, would you?
America has lost it's will to fight.
I come into contact with people on a regular basis, who have horror stories about what happened to their parents in nursing homes. I have spoken to employees that have first hand experience with the abuse and corruption. I have spoken directly to people with family members in abuse situations. They respond to ads on craigslist, family and caregivers alike. They tell me stories, specific proof of broken laws, and violations of regulations. They will talk to me on the phone, and in person. They talk to me at work, at the ball field and at church.
The one thing they all have in common, is they wont fight.
The church people seem to believe that "it's Gods will". I have never read anywhere in the Bible that says it's Gods will, for an elderly person to be left lying in their own urine, till there skin breaks down. Or for someone to be starved to death. It doesn't say anywhere that it is acceptable for someone to rape an elderly patient. I will not deny that these things happen, but are they really "Gods will"? They wont fight.
The people on craigslist are so eager to tell their stories to you, even meet with you in person. They talk about things that have happened, or are still happening to their parents, or patients. Ask them to speak to someone in regards to helping make a difference. They don't want to get involved. They wont fight.
I have spoken to more than one person, who has gone so far as to file a complaint, Time goes by, the complaint comes back marked with the usual , " No deficiencies found", letter. They may get angry and try to go a little further, but eventually they get tired of the runaround. They wont fight.
I have spoken to people working in the business that know more than I care to. I have asked them to get involved. They are afraid of losing their jobs. They wont fight
The people at the ballgame, share their stories on the bleachers. Then they find out that I am actively trying to stop the abuse. From then on, they avoid sitting near me on the bleachers. They wont fight.
As I am sitting here writing, the news is all about the government shutdown. Some are blaming the President, some are blaming Congress. Is anyone blaming themselves ?
When I was a child this kind of nonsense would not be happening, that generation, would fight. They fought against wars, civil rights violations, the right to vote, the same pay for the same job, abortions, the draft. People who were willing to fight are the reasons for the changes.
For some reason, I cant seem to get people to help fight the big companies abusing our seniors. No one seems to care about what is happening to these helpless people. The government agencies, charged with protecting them pass the buck back and forth. The church people are sticking to the " it's Gods will" response. All the rest don't want to get involved.
These people are getting rich, stealing from Medicare ,Medicaid private insurance, and the general public. We are all paying the price each and every day, in increased taxes, underfunded social security,and even untimely death.
When your loved one is in a nursing home, and being abused and neglected, will you fight then? If you wait till then, it's too late. Fight now!
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