The little town of Jeffersonville-which is only a few miles southeast of Macon-only has about 1,000 residents, so when they learned that New Beginnings Care was slated to be closed, residents were shocked. On January 13, inspectors visited the facility and discovered what they called “squalid conditions.”
- On January 13, inspectors visited the facility and discovered what they called “squalid conditions.”
When they entered the nursing home, inspectors found puddles of raw sewage. Five out of nine toilets were backed up and not flushing while residents tried to avoid the mess as best they could. Further inspection found that the sewage had been tracked to other portions of the nursing home, spreading contamination and filth. The inspectors were not pleased. The nursing home was immediately stripped of its Medicare and Medicaid funding, but the New Beginnings operators challenged that decision in court.
The company is currently struggling with massive debts stemming from unpaid taxes and a $240,000 utilities bill. These problems have landed New Beginnings in bankruptcy court where it asked for a court order to prevent Medicare and Medicaid from pulling its funding. Facility officials explained that the filthy conditions were caused by a repair crew that was actively trying to repair the broken toilets, but residents and family members reported that those same toilets had been malfunctioning for two weeks before the inspectors arrived. The judge denied the facility’s motion, and now all the patients will have to be removed from the nursing home.
This hasn’t been New Beginnings’ first run in with authorities. Eight of the facilities operated by the Chattanooga-based company have been closed in recent years. Complaints against these homes have ranged from improper medication management, insufficient incontinence care, and unattended ulcers. In one instance, an investigative report out of Youngstown found that a patient had died from neglect and malnutrition.
Can You Stop Nursing Home Abuse And Neglect?
If you fear that your loved one is being neglected or abused in their nursing home, don’t hesitate to contact the authorities and get an attorney on the phone ASAP. The signs of nursing home abuse can be spotted easily so long as you know what to look for. An attorney can help you build an elder abuse case, and help you find justice for your loved one. To find out more, keep reading our Macon injury blog, and log on to our Facebook and Twitter pages to share your experiences.
