According to Catherine Goldman, senior practitioner with Wake County Human Services, the home needs sharp regulatory eyes trained on it to protect residents.

“These folks are at risk,” Goldman said Wednesday. Consequently, the home has a no-star rating due to problems like a smoking-related building fire, high rates of medication mistakes, electrical hazards and food described for the record as “nasty,” according to state and county records.

Click to read Tommy Goldsmith’s article in today’s News & Observer.

The state ombudsman for long-term care, Sharon Wilder, was quoted recently in the Raleigh News & Observer as stating that the reports of abuse, neglect and exploitation are on the increase in North Carolina and will likely continue to rise.  “We now have the baby boomers emerging as the caregivers for their elders,” Ms. Wilder said. “Their nature is to ask more questions and to want more answers. They are more willing to contact whoever they need to to get answers.”

Click to read Tommy Goldsmith’s article, “Abuse Claims Hard to Verify if the Injured Can’t Speak” from The News & Observer.

Various operating entities, wholly or partly owned by Trefzer—a Hickory entrepreneur—manage 20 assisted living centers in North Carolina, with operations divided among a series of limited-liability entities, according to The News & Observer.  Since Trefzger began managing Zebulon House in Wake County last summer, the long-term care center has racked up citations for a four-month infestation of bed bugs, for diverting residents’ funds without permission and for mistakes in dispensing medicine.  The N&O’s Tommy Goldsmith reports, “Trefzger’s homes have accumulated fines of close to $100,000 for 20 top-level or second-rank violations since 2003.”

Click to read Tommy Goldsmith’s entire article.