For many years, nursing home residents throughout the United States have been subjected to neglect and abuse by caregivers, employees or other residents. Many problems with the nursing home industry involve untrained professionals, short staffing, and a lack of supervision that leads to resident-to-resident assault.If your loved one was injured while living in a Porter County nursing facility, contact the Indiana Nursing Home Law Center attorneys now for immediate legal help. Let our team of lawyers work on your family’s behalf to ensure you receive monetary compensation to recover your damages.
This long-term care home is an 85-certified bed center providing cares and services to residents of Valparaiso and Porter County, Indiana. The "for profit" Medicare and Medicaid-participating facility is located at:
251 Sturdy Rd
Valparaiso, Indiana 46383
(219) 462-6158
Golden Living Center - Valparaiso
In addition to providing 24/7 skilled nursing care, Golden Living Center - Valparaiso offers other services. Additional focused care includes cardiac care, palliative care, hospice, dementia/Alzheimer’s care, pharmacy services and rehabilitative care including physical, speech and occupational therapies.
Both the federal government and the state of Indiana can impose monetary fines or deny payments through Medicare of any nursing facility that has been found to have violated the established nursing home rules and regulations.
Within the last three years, investigators imposed two monetary penalties against Golden Living Center - Valparaiso, citing substandard care. These penalties include a $30,000 fine on November 07, 2017, and a $41,725 fine on January 10, 2017, for a total of $71,725.
The nursing home also received twenty-nine complaints over the last three years that resulted in a violation citation. Additional documentation concerning penalties and fines can be reviewed on the Indiana Nursing Home Report Cards Website.
Our attorneys review data on every long-term and intermediate care facility on Medicare.com and the Indiana Department of Public Health website.
According to Medicare, this facility maintains an overall rating of one out of five stars, including one out of five stars concerning health inspections, three out of five stars for staffing issues and one out of five stars for quality measures.
According to state investigators, “the facility failed to ensure an intervention listed on the resident’s Care Plan was implemented related to a mechanical lift for transfers.” A review of the resident’s Care Plan indicated the resident was unable to stand and requires the use of two assistance with a Hoyer (mechanical) lift for transfers.
However, the surveyors investigated an incident involving “discoloration of the right temporal area found on December 23, 2017.” A Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) indicated that “the resident was transferred with one assist from the bed to the wheelchair without the use of a mechanical lift” because the lift pad was not available in the room. A Registered Nurse (RN) said the resident needed to get “out of bed to decrease the chance of the resident aspirating due to emesis [vomiting].”
The facility’s investigation was “unable to determine the root cause of the discoloration of the right temporal.” The CNA stated that they had not used a mechanical lift because it was not in the room. Instead, the resident [turned and] faced the CNA and “had her arms around the CNA to stand and pivot to the chair. There was nothing around the resident to cause the discoloration of the right temporal area.”
The nursing home “failed to notify a Physician by phone in a timely manner related to a change in condition for which the resident was admitted to the hospital.” The notes show that the resident had a temperature of 100.5° at 2:40 AM. By 5:28 AM, the resident’s temperature was measured at 100.4°.
The surveyors say that “there were no further Nurse’s Notes to indicate that the resident was assessed from 2:36 PM to 10:09 PM. The hospital emergency room indicated the resident [arrived] at the emergency room [at 8:15 PM] with altered mental status and fever.” A report from the emergency room indicated “strong evidence of dehydration,” urinary tract infection and high sodium level.
Do you believe that your loved one is the victim of mistreatment, abuse or neglect while living at Golden Living Center - Valparaiso? Contact the Indiana nursing home abuse attorneys at Nursing Home Law Center at (800) 926-7565 for immediate legal intervention. We represent Porter County victims of abuse and neglect in all areas including Valparaiso.
Our legal team offers every client a free, initial case consultation. Additionally, we offer a 100% “No Win/No-Fee” Guarantee. This promise means you do not owe us anything until we have secured monetary compensation on your behalf. All information you share with our law offices will remain confidential.
Sources:
Attorney Jeffrey D. Powless
Licensed in Indiana
Chicago Nursing Home Injury Lawyer Nursing Home Law Center LLC Home