Troy Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls received 42 citations for violations of public health code between 2018 and 2022, according to New York State Department of Health records accessed on June 17, 2022. The Hoosick Falls nursing home’s citations resulted from a total of three inspections by state surveyors. The violations they describe include the following:
1. The nursing home did not adequately protect residents from abuse. Section 483.12 of the Federal Code provides nursing home residents “the right to be free from abuse.” An October 2021 citation found that Troy Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls failed to ensure such. The citation specifically states that the facility failed to ensure the maintenance of resident safety following an incident in which one resident’s hands were observed up another resident’s shirt. The citation states further that nearly one month after the incident, facility staff again observed the resident’s hand up the other resident’s shirt. In an interview, the facility’s Director of Nursing stated that “there should have been a victim care plan” initiated for the victim following the initial incident. A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the implementation of “an educational program on trauma informed care” for all facility employees.
2. The nursing home did not adequately train staff on the prevention of abuse. Section 483.95 of the Federal Code stipulates that nursing homes must provide training to staff on activities that constitute abuse, neglect, and exploitation, as well as procedures for reporting incidents of such. A February 2020 citation found that Troy Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls failed to ensure such. The citation states specifically that it failed to “ensure contracted staff was educated on the prevention and reporting of abuse and neglect.” It goes on to describe an interview in which a hairstylist at the facility stated that as a contract employee, she “had not received any additional trainings or education” since she started working at the facility in 2006 or 2008 and “received a general orientation.” In an interview, the facility’s Director of Nursing stated that “she could not find any facility policies about contracted employees needing to be educated or in-serviced on a regular basis.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the implementation of a policy for educating contract staff on abuse, neglect, exploitation, and reporting.
3. The nursing home did not properly dispose of garbage. Under Section 483.60 of the Federal Code, nursing homes are required to “dispose of garbage and refuse properly.” A February 2020 citation found that Troy Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation at Hoosick Falls failed to ensure such. The citation specifically describes an observation that “the trash compactor was not clean,” stating further that its door portal “was soiled with a thick white build-up.” In an interview, the facility’s Director of Plant Operations stated that “the compactor door has not been cleaned in awhile and sometimes trash falls out when the compactor is being emptied by the compactor vendor.” A plan of correction undertaken by the facility included the immediate cleaning of the trash compactor.
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.
