I am sitting here this morning thinking about what has happened in the last three years. My brother and I have reached out to countless people in order to determine if Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation and Dr. Larry Joe Russell, violated any laws or regulations. We have found that they continue to operate with no fear from anyone.
I have been inside Hendersonville Health and Rehabilitation this year over a one month period visiting a friend. In that time I personally witnessed many violations of NCDHSR regulations. There was even a NCDHSR complaint investigation conducted during that time. Even with the sign on the front door stating that there was a NCDHSR investigation going on, I still witnessed violations.
The problem is that the DHHS refuses to listen to the public. They will side with the nursing home every time. Try to dispute any of the DHHS findings and see how far you get. I have in my possession documents that are full of inaccuracies and sometimes even contradict themselves. When I contacted Beverley Speroff, the chief of the nursing home licensure division of the NCDHSR, I was told they were not willing to look at the documents. I even went so far as to ask for clarification of the documents, again refused. I sent a list of specific questions pertaining to the investigation they supposedly conducted on my complaint. They refused to even answer any of the questions.
I then took it to the next level, I contacted Aldona Wos, the Secretary of the NCDHHS. I simply explained my situation and asked for her to intervene. The first letter I sent was ignored, the second was sent registered mail and I did get a response. The letter made no reference to the first letter and was from Secretary Wos's chief of staff. Again they refused to even look at the report. It seems that they have no concern for the public safety. They also could care less about the concerns of a voting citizen of the United States and North Carolina. The reason is they are not elected, they are appointed by the Governor.
As I have stated in the past I am receiving help from a United States Congressman. It took several emails to get through to him, I finally went to his office and met with a staff member. I have requested a meeting with the Congressman himself, and have never been granted that meeting. The same Congressman was here to participate in a local parade before the elections, but no time to meet with me. I feel that he is trying to help, but either he has too many friends connected to the nursing home business, or he just doesn't want to get into something so big.
In my last post I wrote of politicians benefitting from " Obama Care ", specifically the Frist family. This morning on Meet the Press, they were discussing Congressmen and Senators and their rise in economic status in recent years. What a surprise that was right? Then while speaking about income amounts, they stated that Congressmen and Senators do not have to list in their income ownership interests in properties in their reports. Is it any wonder that there are many members of the Senate and Congress that own nursing home properties. I am not implying that the Congressman that I'm dealing with is one of them. I would be willing to guess that he has a few friends that are profiting from ownership in these homes.
It is truly a disgrace that with all the money they are making, they still cant ensure the residents needs are satisfied. I'm not talking about facials and massages, I'm talking about basic care. Things like showers, help eating, assistance with toileting, and even making sure they get the right medication at the right time. A resident in a nursing is simply a source of income for people that are already wealthy. This industry cries for reform, from the NCDHSR down to the ownership and operations. However with so many politicians involved in the ownership of these places, I don't know how there will ever be reform. Why would they do something that would take money from their own pockets. Especially if the only people benefitting would be the elderly residents who probably don't even vote. Why would they give up the $5.00 or so it would cost to get a shower, if they could put that $5.00 in their pockets.
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