Two weeks ago, we posted a nursing home abuse blog about the Quadrangle nursing facility in Delaware County, PA. The story revolved around the depraved abuse of 78 year-old dementia patient Lois McAllister and the orderlies that mocked and abused her, forcing her to walk around her room naked while they stood and laughed. McAllister’s family caught the abuse on tape, and the staff members involved were arrested and charged.
Today, we are happy to report that, due to this extremely abusive behavior, Sunrise Continued Care, the parent company of Quadrangle, has had their license revoked. Sunrise is no longer licensed to operate Quadrangle, and no longer able to intentionally humiliate it’s residents. Ronald Melusky, acting director of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, said that investigations into Quadrangle discovered gross incompetence, negligence, and misconduct at the Haverford care facility. The McAllister’s attorney commented on the DPW’s decision to revoke the license, saying, “[Quadrangle] violated the most basic tenets of trust and respect for their residents.”
The license revocation was a victory not only for Lois McAllister and her family, but for the current residents and their families as well. Luckily, the McAllisters caught the abuse on tape, but other families may not be so lucky. Hopefully, a relocation will provide the remaining residents with a chance to receive better, more respectful care.
Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorneys in NJ and PA
If your loved one is currently a resident at a nursing home or similar long term care facility, pay close attention to their condition and the kind of care they receive. Your attentiveness is crucial to their continued safety at a nursing home. If you are worried that the care they are receiving is indeed negligent or abusive, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
The federally backed watchdog that performed the investigations, Equip for Equality, found the care provisions at Alden Village North deplorable. Illnesses were never treated properly, lab tests and results went ignored, doctors failed to return pages of medical charts, and investigations into resident deaths were superficial and incomplete.
The study gave imipramine, a commonly prescribed antidepressant, to injured lab mice. Researcher, Dr. Jason Huang, associate professor of neurosurgery at the University of Rochester Medical Center and chief of neurosurgery at Highland Hospital in New York, found that the mice treated with imipramine showed 70% more brain cell growth than the mice that were not treated with the drug. In addition to cell growth, the treated mice also displayed, through behavioral testing, improved memory skills. 
First of, if you have any concerns, consult with an experienced attorney as well as appropriate state agencies. Telltale signs of nursing home abuse are the presence of bed sores, also known as pressure ulcers. Bed sores occur when a nursing home patient is left immobile in one position for too long, causing skin in sensitive areas to loose circulation. This causes tissue damage and eventually kills the skin cells. If caught early and treated properly, bed sores can be easily remedied. However, if neglected, a bed sore can progress past stage two, causing serious health problems for affected nursing home residents.
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The family of a 78 year old Lois McCallister, a patient at the Quadrangle nursing home in Delaware County, Pennsylvania, placed a “nanny cam” in view of their relative after she complained of being punched, slapped, and otherwise abused by the staff members. McCallister, who suffers from dementia, also showed signs of bruising on her left hand and wrist. The “nanny cam” caught a nursing home employee striking McCallister in the face and head. The hidden camera also caught nursing home employees laughing at and mocking the mental condition of McCallister for over 12 minutes, while she stood naked trying to cover her breasts. This is an especially egregious example of how cruel some staff members at nursing homes treat their residents. As a result of these incidents, several members of the staff at the Quadrangle nursing home have been placed under arrest.
The Cherry Hill Rehab and Nursing Facility, located in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, is a corporately owned facility. This nursing home has 120 long-term inpatient beds under its care.
As data from studies shows the possible correlation between Topamax and cleft lip, the FDA states that there will be a stronger label on the product. The pregnancy category of the drug has been changed. The warning will now show Topamax in category D, as opposed to its former spot in category C. There has been positive evidence of fetal risk in human beings, which is the reason for the change of category.
Silver Care Health Center has had two routine inspections in the two year period from November 2008 through October 2010. During those two routine inspections, the Silver Care Health Care Center was cited for 31 deficiencies. The Silver Care nursing home was cited for numerous violations, i.e. life safety code standard violations, housekeeping, drug regimen not being free of unnecessary drugs, and life safety from fire issues. A number of these deficiencies were considered widespread and able to cause more than minimal harm.