90-Year-Old Mother Died Because of Nursing Home Abuse, Son Says
David Christmas lost his mother in October 2012, after she lived in a nursing home for a mere six months. He alleges she died because of serious and severe nursing home abuse.
Christmas cared for his mother for years at his home, but her health deteriorated to the point that he was unable to continue to help her alone. After much thought, he resolved to put her in a nursing home, hoping she would be safer there. He spent months searching for a clean, safe place for his mother to live.
“You have to go on their word because I couldn’t find out any other way to do it without a lot of expense and time,” said Christmas.
He eventually settled on the Kingstree Nursing Facility. His mother was admitted on May 7th, 2012, and by October 17th, 2012, she died.
His mother was hospitalized for severe trauma, which Christmas says was related to nursing home abuse. She had bruises all over her body, and a broken hip. She told her son that two women had attacked her, but she could not tell him anything else.
“Something happened,” said Christmas. “I don’t know what, but something happened.”
Kingstree Police opened an investigation into the nursing home abuse. According to federal records, the nursing home had been rated “above average” just a year ago, but according to inspection reports, which are harder to access, the facility had been written up for failing to report a patient head injury to federal nursing home investigators, and for failing to implement neglect and abuse policies afterward.
“If there’s any way possible to find out who did it, I want them to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law,” said Christmas.
“I miss her, but there’s nothing I can do to bring my mother back. But, I hope that I can say something in this that will help somebody else.”
Facility Records, Which Include Nursing Home Abuse Reports, Hard to Access
When searching for a nursing home, it can be unnecessarily difficult to obtain records. DHEC Director Catherine Templeton says she has ordered her staff to put South Carolina’s nursing home records online so families searching for facilities for aging loved ones have access to accurate, complete, and up-to-date information. However, she said it would take at least 8 months to ensure that patient privacy is respected, and patients are not put at risk for cyber-attacks.
“They’ll be online by the end of the year and that’s a great accomplishment given how many there are, how many people we have to put them online, but it’s absolutely a commitment I made to the public, that the governor made to transparency, and we’re happy to do it,” said Templeton.
In the meantime, families have to keep a watchful eye on any facility that is home to their loved ones, and watch out for signs of nursing home abuse.
The Strom Law Firm Prosecutes Perpetrators of Nursing Home Abuse
If your loved one has faced nursing home abuse, you do not have to suffer in silence. Contact the attorneys at the Strom Law Firm for a free, confidential consultation. We are here to help. 803.252.4800
