IN - Woman Treated for Maggot-Infested Wounds (caution: graphic)

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Indiana Long-Term Care Resident Treated for Maggot-Infested Wounds



The Associated Press

EVANSVILLE, Ind. - A resident of a long-term care facility had maggot-infested wounds so advanced that skin peeled off her legs when a hospital emergency room nurse removed her clothing, state inspectors found.

Riverwalk Communities, which has a history of violating nursing home standards, could face state action for the woman's care, said Jennifer Dunlap, a spokeswoman for the State Department of Health.

According to the state's investigation, the woman, whose age was not released, had refused treatment for her wounds and to be bathed for five days at the licensed 113-bed health-care facility before she was taken Nov. 3 to Deaconess Hospital.

The hospital's emergency staff found festering sores on both of the woman's legs and maggots emerging from wounds infected with treatment-resistant bacteria, according to the state's report.

An emergency department nurse told the state surveyor the woman's right slipper and pants legs were stuck to her skin, the report said.

"He indicated he soaked her right foot in warm water for 45 minutes and bugs/cockroaches were crawling out of the house slipper. Upon removing the house slipper, he indicated the skin came off of the right foot and toes," the report said.

When the nurse removed the woman's pants, the material pulled the skin off the woman's legs, from the knees to the ankles, according to the report.

Christine Goad, Riverwalk Communities' administrator, defended the center's performance in caring for the woman, whom she said Wednesday had returned to Riverwalk after her hospitalization.

Goad said that in late October, an aide noticed sores on the woman's legs when she was bathing her and immediately contacted a physician, who prescribed an antibiotic, an ointment for the sores and specified regular dressing changes for them.

The woman agreed to the medication and treatment for four days, but then began refusing all medications and the treatment and refused to be showered, Goad said.

She said the woman was hospitalized Nov. 3 after she became combative.

Goad said the state report reference to cockroaches being found in the woman's slipper is not true. She said the center does not have a roach problem.

Much more at link:

http://abcnews.go.com/US/print?id=2741964

 
I suppose this woman didn't have any family that visited that might have noticed these sores?
In a case like that I think if the staff genuinely cared for their patients they would contact someone (family, courts, etc.) in order to force this woman into letting them bathe her. Somehow I don't think they really cared.

Am I understanding the article correctly that once she was discharged from the hospital she was sent right back to this nuring home?
 
Ironic that maggots are actually used in controlled environments to keep wounds infection free.

Eve
 
GlitchWizard said:
Certainly an article for young people to read, to convince them to save up for their old age. Better care, at the very least.
A good article for people of all ages to read IMO. None of us know what tomorrow can bring and many will end up in nursing homes, even members of WS will be part of that population.
This story has gotten some attention but there are countless others in every state that get no coverage. As long as nursing home owners are allowed to pay very low wages and keep staff coverage at a bare minimum the care people get will be sub standard. How many reading this story here and feeling sorry for this woman will do more than just shake their head and think that somebody should do something?

VB
 
Vegas Bride said:
A good article for people of all ages to read IMO. None of us know what tomorrow can bring and many will end up in nursing homes, even members of WS will be part of that population.
This story has gotten some attention but there are countless others in every state that get no coverage. As long as nursing home owners are allowed to pay very low wages and keep staff coverage at a bare minimum the care people get will be sub standard. How many reading this story here and feeling sorry for this woman will do more than just shake their head and think that somebody should do something?

VB

Well, hopefully someone will do something, but you're right, not me personally.

Aged care facilities have a bad name everywhere, it's the same here....generally speaking I don't think many of the people that work at places like that care too much at all about their patients, it's just a job.
 
Two years ago a family member had to be admitted to a nursing home. I visited every day, at different times of the day - met all the shifts. The gals who bathed her every day, the nurses, even the gal at the main desk were very kind to her. The food was horrible, but I often took food and there was a freezer where I could bring snacks. The people who were most in contact with her were minimum wage ladies, but they were kind to her - when she developed a sore, the immediately got the floor nurse to check it out. Is a nursing home pleasant? No, it's full of mainly old sick people who either cannot be taken care of by family - or have no family. In this case, it sounds like the medical staff did not do their job correctly - not the day to day care givers.
 
I think a lot has to do with family and friends that keep tabs on their friends and family. Fortunately my mother was well cared for. She lived in a retirement apartment until she entered their next stage of nursing care, then more intensive care and finally hospice. My cousin is director of social services at St Lukes Hospital in Jax, FL. She supervised her care and made sure she was able to get out and go to church and meetings of her organizations. My sister and I do not live in Florida.

My MIL had a blood clot in her leg and after her hospitalization, she went to an assisted living facility nearby. She had a private room with a small kitchen area and bathroom. She used her own furniture. Her meals were very good and family was encourage to visit and share meals. Local organizations were always helping with Bingo days, worship, music, crafts, etc. She had assistance for baths and showers as well as a weekly hair appointment on the premise. There were book shelves all over. The place was spotless and well run and decorated to make it very welcome and homey.

Later, she had to go the the nursing home after a massive stroke left her in a coma. Again, the home was clean, the staff caring, daily activities for those able. She was turned, cleaned and checked constantly. The doctor was called when her temperature rose and was taken to the hospital when she developed pneumonia. Again, visitors were always around, the doors were always open. Same groups provided the entertainment. We have go every spring with new colts. It's amazing how the mares and colts just know to be gentle and approachable to these folks. Many of them were raised on farms and appreciate seeing farm animals. We also brought piglets on National Pig Day. They were very young and we had them wrapped in towels and the residents held them on their laps. Also, dogs, cats and puppies are always brought in.

So, is it the community? Ours is very small and the list of who visited who and where is in the weekly paper. As well as who provided entertainment and which preacher led a service. There's no scandal, no abuse and definitely no neglect.

Hearing about this just makes me sick. Something is definitely wrong there. A hospital isn't going to lie about roaches, IMO. What's a worse crime is returning her to the same situation. I certainly hope inspectors come in to "visit" patients and observe care without being noticed. Doesn't sound like a place I'd like to be sent to.

Oh, yes, BTW, Florida has done something about care of the elderly that should be spread around the country. They have a Sunset Law. It gave my mother decent care. You turn over your retirement checks and/or social security and you are cared for equally. Private homes accept residents under this law. I'm not sure of the specifics, but when my mother's money from the sale of her house was gone, they continued to care for her at the same facility. Don't know the specifics of the law, but it was a blessing for both her and us.
 
lorann said:
Two years ago a family member had to be admitted to a nursing home. I visited every day, at different times of the day - met all the shifts. The gals who bathed her every day, the nurses, even the gal at the main desk were very kind to her. The food was horrible, but I often took food and there was a freezer where I could bring snacks. The people who were most in contact with her were minimum wage ladies, but they were kind to her - when she developed a sore, the immediately got the floor nurse to check it out. Is a nursing home pleasant? No, it's full of mainly old sick people who either cannot be taken care of by family - or have no family. In this case, it sounds like the medical staff did not do their job correctly - not the day to day care givers.
My mother has been in a Rehab, three times and I went there everyday as hard as it was to do so until she was able to come home. Some had been there for years.

There were also young people in there who had suffered spinal injuries, strokes, and several other long term problems. I was shocked to see their family rarely come in...............miserable situation to be in whether you're young or old.
 
this is horrifying and such an awful way for anyone to live.
 
BarnGoddess said:
Oh, yes, BTW, Florida has done something about care of the elderly that should be spread around the country. They have a Sunset Law. It gave my mother decent care. You turn over your retirement checks and/or social security and you are cared for equally. Private homes accept residents under this law. I'm not sure of the specifics, but when my mother's money from the sale of her house was gone, they continued to care for her at the same facility. Don't know the specifics of the law, but it was a blessing for both her and us.


This is the federal program known as Medicaid. It is administered in each state, but it applies nation wide. It applies when the patient has limited financial resources.
 
luthersmama said:
This is the federal program known as Medicaid. It is administered in each state, but it applies nation wide. It applies when the patient has limited financial resources.
You're exactly right luthersmom. Medicare covered my mom for I think three weeks (approx) then I had to pay the difference. Now, those on Medicaid were paying nothing, but then they had no assets and qualified for the program.

After Rehab. when an elderly person needs an Assisted Care Facility, Medicare does not cover that, and the cost is out of sight. I found Residential care to be a bit less expensive and better than a big place, but still costly.
 
eve said:
Ironic that maggots are actually used in controlled environments to keep wounds infection free.

Eve
Maggots only eat dead flesh, so that prevents the infection that would result from rotting flesh in a wound--yuks, I, just finished eating, and now it's trying to come back up. LOL.
 
Buzzm1 said:
Maggots only eat dead flesh, so that prevents the infection that would result from rotting flesh in a wound--yuks, I, just finished eating, and now it's trying to come back up. LOL.
You're funny Buzz :)

Good 'ol little 'Maggies' have been used for years to rid infection in farm animals. Now they're using them on humans.

The first time I saw them in action was in High School and I had a Cree Indian girlfriend who had a goat, a lamb, and a Ram (who was mean). Anyway, the one lamb was laying down and the 'Maggies' were hard at work. Being a city kid, I almost purged, but have always remembered that.
 
My husband spent two months in a nursing home at the end.
One month in a home in the city where we live, and one month in a Boulder nursing home, that was highly touted, WRONG.

There were two shift nurses in the Boulder home, and the rest of the assisting staff were rotating temporary employees, it was totally frustrating. The shift nurses were overworked and running herd on large numbers of workers who were mostly untrained, young, and did not speak nor understand English. Nor were they able to read treatment instructions.

The home administrator was inept in my dealings with her, when I had valid complaints.

HUGE chunks of honeydew melon went un eaten from every single table in the dining area I observed one day during lunchtime in the Boulder home.

Many of the patients in both homes could not chew or had chewing/swallowing problems. Many were not able to cut up their food on their own, and the staff who oversaw the dining room, were immune to problems that were totally visible.

The dietician was totally inept in preparing foods that the patients would actually enjoy and EAT in the city home where we lived.

I went every day, and sat and had dinner with my husband, cut up his food and encouraged him to eat. I would bring something special for the entire table to have some of.

IF I had not come each day, the staff would sit him alone elsewhere with no one to interact with, and would not assist him with his eating.

It totally breaks your heart. Nursing homes are heart rending heart breaking places to be, work in, or to observe up close. Many many folks there have no one that comes to visit with them, I think it is just a reminder of what their own future holds for them too, and is just too painful.

Training volunteer groups to assist in nursing homes would be a nice start.

Human beings have just not learned how to treat others as they would wish to be treated themselves. Plus you have to care in the first place. We have become a very selfish and pretty much ignorant people on the HOW or WHY to care for others.

Stay healthy!!

.
.
 
Camper-
I can identify with what you said about the food. A friend worked in the kitchen of a local nursing home and said you would be shocked at the number of trays that came back hardly touched. As you explained, many people were unable to cut up their own food and had no one there to do it for them. They were probably then prime candidates for feeding tubes (more $$$ for someone to insert those) and no more tray problems. The other problem you mentioned about so few nurses on shift and fill-in help. Another friend worked as a fill-in nurse in various places. A supposedly nice home in this area had her for one day. She went in for second shift and was helped for a while by the early-shift nurse. Way, way too many patients to care for properly and she was in charge, tho totally unfamiliar with the facility and no time to read their huge "rule book." She then stayed to help the third-shift nurse for a while, as things were so far behind and there was very little help on that shift either. It's all about the $$$ and to heck with the residents, it seems.
 
Opie said:
Camper-
I can identify with what you said about the food. A friend worked in the kitchen of a local nursing home and said you would be shocked at the number of trays that came back hardly touched. As you explained, many people were unable to cut up their own food and had no one there to do it for them. They were probably then prime candidates for feeding tubes (more $$$ for someone to insert those) and no more tray problems. The other problem you mentioned about so few nurses on shift and fill-in help. Another friend worked as a fill-in nurse in various places. A supposedly nice home in this area had her for one day. She went in for second shift and was helped for a while by the early-shift nurse. Way, way too many patients to care for properly and she was in charge, tho totally unfamiliar with the facility and no time to read their huge "rule book." She then stayed to help the third-shift nurse for a while, as things were so far behind and there was very little help on that shift either. It's all about the $$$ and to heck with the residents, it seems.




--->>>Creativity, concern and caring are not expensive. The food that was presented had none of these things going for it. The administrators of the two facilities that I observed up close and personally, have zero amounts of these characteristics either.

One gentleman who was there was very vocal about his food, he recognized good food from BAD. He made their lives miserable each meal time.

IT IS not that hard to make a meal look pretty!!!!!!!!!!!!
IT is not that hard to make it look like you would LOVE to eat it.
IT is not that hard to make a meal CHEWABLE and delicious.

Machinery can do the prepping so that it is chewable.

I took one mal appropriated plate of food that was served to my husband to the desk and asked to speak to the dietician. She came, tall thin, young, detached, and inquired about my purpose for seeing her. I thrust the plate toward her and asked her IF she would eat this??

She appeared to not be aware of the problem, just looking at it. I had to explain the reason for my complaint.

It was a serving that remotely resembled lasagna, that had been totally overcooked with crusts that would withstand a jack hammer, it was not chewable!!!!

This had been served, AFTER a student nurse had used an entire tube of denture fixative to false teeth and it took three people including a very strong man to remove the teeth, at great discomfort to my husband.

The beat goes on. BIG PROBLEM.
HOW DO WE FIX IT FOR EVERYONE, even the young who read here and figure, it will never happen to THEM.

.
 
Part of the problem is that the majority of direct patient care is NOT done by nurses, but by CNA (certified nursing assistants) and while there are many CNA's who do a fine job, there is a reality that there are many who don't. Here, to become a CNA, one has to have schooling for 4 weeks---that's it. And, the pay for a CNA is starting out at about $7 bucks an hour. Many times you have 20 patients who are being cared for by 4 CNA's, and only 1 RN who just makes sure that the proper things are documented in each patients chart.

Many times for licensure for CNA, it is on the job training, so basically anyone can walk in off the street, get a job caring for those in the nursing home, and after 4 weeks of training, if they pass the very easy CNA test, they get their licensure.
 
julianne said:
Part of the problem is that the majority of direct patient care is NOT done by nurses, but by CNA (certified nursing assistants) and while there are many CNA's who do a fine job, there is a reality that there are many who don't. Here, to become a CNA, one has to have schooling for 4 weeks---that's it. And, the pay for a CNA is starting out at about $7 bucks an hour. Many times you have 20 patients who are being cared for by 4 CNA's, and only 1 RN who just makes sure that the proper things are documented in each patients chart.

Many times for licensure for CNA, it is on the job training, so basically anyone can walk in off the street, get a job caring for those in the nursing home, and after 4 weeks of training, if they pass the very easy CNA test, they get their licensure.
The BarnGod's niece is a CNA. You are right about the length of training. She took the course at our local nursing home. She worked the night shift as she just couldn't lift the patients as she was so small. She eventually got fired for misconduct with another worker. Screwing around on the job. What was she thinking? No one in this small community would find out? She now does home health care and helps out on the hospital switchboard.

I know the dietician at our local home. Her husband works with me. She is very inventive and prepares wholesome and attractive food. The BarnGod visits the elderly he knows regularly. I've gone with him many times. It's nothing for someone who is visiting a loved one to pop into other rooms or stop and chat with someone who is in the living room or dining. I've observed the aides assisting patients to eat. As I said earlier, there's a weekly column of activities at the nursing home and assisted living facility and who visited who. There is a registered nurse, full time, who has been there for many years. Very competent and caring. But, this is a small town and everyone knows everyone else. Believe me, they speak up if there's a problem.

On the other hand, when my mother had one of her hip operations, she was sent to a rehab facility because the Medicare rules limited her hospital stay. An aide who didn't speak English at all kept moving her leg. She was in extreme pain and no one would listen to her. I finally had her transported back to the doctor and an x-ray found the hook from the pin to the pelvis bar had come unhooked. They had to go back in and repair it. The rehab center sent a bill for $2500 for her 3 days there. I told them to take the bill and shove it where the sun didn't shine. They threatened to sue for the payment but the doctor intervened and it was dropped. This rehab period was one of those gaps between what Medicare paid for the hospital and what they would pay for a nursing home stay. These workers were Haitian and it was rare for anyone with authority or knowledge to be able to converse with them. Sick and sad situation.
 
O My Gosh! This poor woman!! I am sickened... but have been so many other times as well.

I volunteer in a nursing home and often leave crying for how the residents are treated by staff and, many times, family. I know we should never say never- but my mother will never reside in a facility! She changed my diapers and I intend to change hers! The same goes for my FIL and SIL!

Our elders had a big hand in making our country what it is today. Many of them fought for our country... for our freedom!! They deserve better than this!!!!
 

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