Woman Working at Montana Veterans’ Nursing Home Faces Patient Abuse Charges

A woman who worked at a nursing home for veterans in Montana has been charged with patient abuse. Allegedly, she abused four of the residents of the home, including three patients in the dementia ward.

Susan Stablefeldt was arraigned on Tuesday, May 28th, in the District Court of Glendive. She did not enter a plea at that time, and she reportedly does not have an attorney.

According to authorities, the patient abuse occurred at the Eastern Montana Veteran’s Home between October and January.

After receiving several complaints, nursing director Christy Kemp called police on January 29th, 2013. She reportedly received emails from people who had witnessed the patient abuse. Co-workers reported to investigators that Stablefeldt held one man down with her knee on his arm and a hand across his face, while he was told to shut up. Court records report that Stablefeldt also twisted another man’s arm behind his back, punched another victim, and slapped a fourth. Reportedly, one of the incidents of patient abuse was so serious that the resident required medical attention.

The Eastern Montana Veteran’s Home had hired Stablefeldt as a contract employee through the Montana Health Network, and she was usually assigned to the wing of the facility which cares for veterans with moderate to severe dementia. Their records show that she worked there on and off for five years.

“We have a strict policy in place to ensure abuse or any kind of mistreatment does not happen to our long-term care residents,” interim CEO Parker Powell said in a statement sent to The Billings Gazette. “Any employee who violates our policy and standard of care is subject to disciplinary action, including dismissal and possible criminal prosecution.”

Stablefeldt claimed that she never intentionally committed such severe patient abuse, and had been under serious stress in recent months. According to police reports, Stablefeldt said she had been grabbed or injured in some way in each of the incidents of patient abuse, and was only reacting to provocation.

“Most of the patients at EMVH were veterans and most would ‘regress back’ and that there was a ‘fine line’ in dealing with these veteran patients,” she reportedly told investigators. She added that “…care was sometimes challenging and that she didn’t know if that was abuse, or not.”

Reporting Patient Abuse, Elder Abuse, and Nursing Home Abuse in South Carolina

In South Carolina, Adult Protective Services will secure and coordinate existing services (mental health etc.), arrange for living quarters, obtain financial benefits to which a vulnerable adult is entitled, and secure medical services, supplies, and legal services.

Report online: Visit the Adult Protective Services page. In the top right column, you’ll find a drop down menu to make a report.

Call to report suspected mistreatment in:

• Private or foster homes: 803-898-7318

• Richland county long-term care facilities: 803-734-9900

• Long-term care facilities outside Richland County: 800-868-9095

Find resources and learn more: Visit South Carolina’s office of aging Ombudsman site. The site provides reports and access to records on long-term care facilities as well as the residents’ Bill of Rights.

The Strom Law Firm Represents Victims of Patient Abuse

Founded by former U.S. State Attorney Pete Strom in 1996, the Strom Law Firm has been fighting nursing home, patient, resident, and elder abuse cases for 15 years. The nursing home abuse lawyers at the Strom Law Firm take an aggressive approach to confronting the kind of egregious misconduct found in nursing home abuse and neglect cases. We represent elderly clients and families who have been victims of:

• Physical, emotional, and psychological abuse and neglect

• Medication and prescription errors

• Inappropriate use of physical or chemical restraints

• Bedsores, pressure sores, decubitus ulcers, and infections

• Dehydration and malnutrition

• Falls, dislocations and fractures

• Inadequate staffing, training, and negligent supervision claims

• Financial abuse and exploitation

If your loved one has faced patient abuse at the hands of health care workers or a nursing home, 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.