Northern Manor Geriatric Center Cited for Elopement, Fall

Northern Manor Geriatric Center has received 23 citations for violations of public health code between 2018 and 2022, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on April 1, 2022. The Nanuet nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of five surveys by state inspectors. The deficiencies they describe include the following:

1. The nursing home did not take adequate steps to prevent elopement. Under Section 483.25 of the Federal Code, nursing homes must provide residents with adequate supervision and assistance devices to prevent accidents, including elopement. A July 2021 citation found that Northern Manor Geriatric Center failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes a resident identified as an elopement risk, whose care plans included 30-minute checks. According to the citation, these checks were not provided on one date between 6am and 7am, during which the resident “climbed out a window on the third floor and fell on to cement.” Facility staff discovered the resident at 7am, and the resident was subsequently taken to the hospital and put on mechanical ventilation with fractures to their pelvis and ankle. The citation describes this deficiency as posing “Immediate jeopardy to resident health or safety.”

2. The nursing home did not follow food safety standards. Section 483.60 of the Federal Code requires nursing homes to follow professional standards for food service safety. A November 2021 citation found that Northern Manor Geriatric Center failed to ensure such. The citation specifically states that the facility’s kitchen equipment was not “maintained in accordance with the State Sanitary Code.” It goes on to describe a burner stove with accumulated debris; a meat stove with accumulated food particles and debris; and a “drain for the pipe from the steamer was noted clogged and the back flow of water was noted to accumulate on the kitchen floor.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the cleaning and/or repair of the relevant equipment, and the education of maintenance and kitchen staff.

3. The nursing home did not provide an adequately safe resident environment. Under Section 483.90 of the Federal Code, nursing homes must provide residents with “a safe, functional, sanitary, and comfortable environment.” A January 2020 citation found that Northern Manor Geriatric Center failed to ensure such. The citation states specifically that “an unsecured and unattended oxygen cylinder was observed on the elevator.” In an interview, the facility’s administrator said that he had conducted an investigation of the matter but “remained unsure” as to why or how it came to pass. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the removal of the oxygen tank and the education of staff “regarding proper oxygen handling/storage.”

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.