Golden Living Center – Cumberland Cited with 11 Deficiencies in 2013 Survey

Golden Living Center – Cumberland is rated as an average facility by the federal government in both health services and overall, but it still received 11 deficiencies which is almost twice the national average, in a February 15, 2013 survey.

According to state investigators, Golden Living Center – Cumberland did not meet standards for one or more residents in the following areas:

1. FAILED to ensure that residents do not take unnecessary medications.
2. FAILED to keep current assessments of resident’s functional capacity for 50% of residents reviewed.
3. FAILED to complete the Minimum Data Set for resident’s reviewed.
4. FAILED to create a plan of care for a resident dealing with incontinence.
5. FAILED to ensure that a resident’s urinary tract infection was dealt with and to prevent the use of a catheter.
6. FAILED to keep residents safe from potential accident risks and preventing avoidable accidents.
7. FAILED to maintain the residents living environment as neat and orderly.
8. FAILED to report issues with patients medications upon review.
9. FAILED to lock a medication cart while unattended.
10. FAILED to properly dispose of soiled linens to prevent infection.

Even though this facility is ranked as average there are still serious deficiencies that you have to wonder why they occur. For example, how is it possible that a Maryland nursing home could not ensure that residents don’t take unnecessary drugs? Keeping residents safe from unnecessary drugs seems like it should be one of the simpler things for a nursing home to do.

Why are there citations on areas that should be so simple?

While there is no exact answer, the most likely answer lies in staffing and training. Far too often nursing home corporations like Golden Living Centers focus on corporate profit rather than resident care. When the focus moves from vulnerable adults to the balance sheet, the balance sheet always wins. One of the best ways to improve profits is to cut staffing levels. Of course, when staffing levels are cut, there are fewer people to make sure that residents don’t take unnecessary drugs.

Another reason for bad care at nursing homes lies in the training employees receive. When employees are not trained on the importance of making sure residents are receiving only their drugs at the correct time, they get sloppy. When employees get sloppy, residents get unnecessary drugs or fail to complete the Minimum Data Set (MDS) form or anything else that could put a resident’s safety in danger.

What can happen to a resident when there is not enough staffing or insufficient training?

Have you ever heard the phrase, “the more the merrier”? Although just about every nursing home company will deny it, the simple truth is that the more staff members available, the better off residents will be. Most nursing homes are understaffed and fail to provide sufficient training. As a result, residents are left by themselves often resulting in injuries, such as falls, bed sores or other injuries. If residents who need help with eating or drinking are left alone, they often suffer malnutrition and dehydration because they simply are not able to take care of eating or drinking by themselves.

If you or a loved one has been injured in a Golden Living facility, we can help. Please visit our website at www.NursingHomeJustice.com or call us at 410-825-ABUSE (2287).