Earlier this week, we posted a blog about nursing home horror stories from across the country. Turns out we missed a doozy. This story is particularly detailed because the nursing home resident was 79-year-old Una Roskind, who entered Schervier Nursing Care Center (Riverdale, NY) as she recovered from a broken back. Because Ms. Roskind does not have dementia, she was able to remember and articulate the level of neglect and abusive treatment she and other residents suffered. Her story was printed in The Riverdale Press.
Some of Ms. Roskind’s treatment included:
- Being kept hostage in a room with 15 other patients and a blaring TV–the exit was deliberately blocked with other patients in wheelchairs.
- Being forced to sleep in a bed not designed for people with her type of back injury.
- Waiting several hours to have someone take her to the bathroom after repeatedly buzzing for help.
- Missing meals because staff forgot that she was waiting for help.
And this was all in the course of less than 24 hours.
When Ms. Roskind’s son complained of the treatment his mother was receiving, the staff yelled at him and told him to mind his own business. That led him to file a report with the New York State Department of Health.
“[On] the third floor you were treated like dirt, the first floor overall you were much better, you had a lot of problems, getting to the bathroom, getting someone to help you, whatnot, but you were never put down. You never felt like dirt … they’re supposed to be there to help you and nobody’s there,” [Ms. Roskind] said.
“It’s a horrible thing to experience. You feel like you dropped down into hell,” she said.
As a final insult, the facility tried to sabotage the family’s attempt to have Ms. Roskind accepted and transferred to another facility, presumably to avoid losing her as a paying resident. The sabotage failed, and Ms. Roskind is at that new facility, receiving therapy and healing.
“To watch this happen, its horrible, to see all these patients mistreated,” she said, noting that her reason for going public was to speak for those who cannot.
According to the article, the facility is currently being investigated by the Attorney General’s Office.
To read the full story in The Riverdale Press, click here: Woman speaks out
This is not an isolated story…it’s just a rare opportunity to hear from someone whose mental faculties are intact enough to provide a detailed accounting. If you know someone in a nursing home who reports abuse or neglect and you would like to know your legal options, feel free to give us a call at 1-800-4-LAWMED, or visit our website at https://www.hensonfuerst.com/.
If you have questions, HensonFuerst has answers.
