Caring Family Nursing and Rehabilitation Center received 22 citations for violations of public health laws between 2015 and 2019, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on January 9, 2020. The Far Rockaway nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of three surveys by state inspectors. The deficiencies they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not take adequate steps to prevent accidents. Section 483.5 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing homes must ensure resident environments are as free as possible of accident hazards. A December 2018 citation found that Caring Family Nursing did not ensure an environment free of accident hazards, specifically finding that an electric laundry iron was observed on a bedside table in the facility’s third floor nursing unit. According to the citation, the resident in question had “severe cognitive impairment.” In an interview, the facility’s Registered Nurse told an inspector “she had never seen the iron before and did not know who it belonged to,” while the resident said that “he did not know who the iron belonged to” either. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the iron’s disposal and the implementation of a visitor bag search policy.
2. The nursing home did not properly implement food safety standards. Section 483.60 of the Federal Code requires nursing home facilities to maintain sanitary conditions in food preparation, storage, and service areas. A December 2018 citation found that the nursing home failed to comply with this section. An inspector specifically found that the kitchen area was not maintained in proper sanitary condition, observing that three large wall fans were “heavily soiled,” with “a heavy build up of dust and dirt and… in need of thorough cleaning.” The citation states that this deficiency had the “potential to cause more than minimal harm.”
3. The nursing home did not maintain an effective pest control program. Per Section 483.90 of the Federal Code, nursing home facilities must establish and implement “an effective pest control program so that the facility is free of pests and rodents.” A December 2018 citation found that Caring Family Nursing and Rehabilitation Center did not maintain an adequately pest-free environment. The citation states specifically that during a tour of the facility’s kitchen, an inspector observed live drain flies in three separate areas. These areas included the cooking area and the entryway to the paper good room storeroom. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included an exterminator’s call to the facility and the establishment of a plan to regularly treat the drains until the flies were gone.
The attorneys at the Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC work diligently to protect the rights of nursing home residents. Please contact us to discuss in the event you have a potential case involving neglect or abuse.
