November 2018 LTCN, Page 20, State News, State Senator Ralph Alvarado

KENTUCKY — Several state lawmakers have called for public hearings on nursing home staffing after an investigative series appeared in the Lexington Herald-Leader in late September lambasting the state’s facilities.

Among lawmakers under fire is state Sen. Ralph Alvarado (R-Winchester), a medical director who has worked at a handful of nursing homes while also pushing legislation such as a 2017 law requiring malpractice suits to pass through medical review panels. The nursing homes where he works have received $416,903 in combined fines over the last three years, the newspaper reported.

While Rep. Rick Nelson (D-Middlesboro) proposed minimum nursing home staffing requirements in a bill last year, it did not receive a committee hearing. The Herald-Leader’s reporting means Nelson’s 2019 version of the bill may gain traction. But Alvarado told the newspaper a “staffing ratio” for Kentucky nursing homes is unrealistic.

Facilities “can’t find the people to do the work,” he said. “Every nursing home I go to, that’s the theme.”

Northeast

Tornado tears off roof

PENNSYLVANIA — A nursing home in Conneautville sustained damage after a tornado, according to local reports.

The roof at Rolling Fields Elder Care Community was hit by 115 mph winds, and all residents were evacuated. Two residents were hospitalized for unrelated problems, executives said.

“We are thankful for the safety and well-being of our Elders,” said Executive Director David Smeltzer in a statement posted on Facebook. “We are so proud of Tanya Bish, Administrator, and our teams for working so quickly and professionally. With just a few moments notice, they moved our [residents] to ensure the safety and security. … We thank God for his blessings, the community for coming out in support and prayers and we are so proud to be part of your community.”

Midwest

Admin ‘borrowed’ $39K

MINNESOTA  —  A former administrator is accused of stealing $38,812, according to a criminal complaint filed in September.

Tamara Noel Borstad, 46, was the administrator of Luther Haven in Montevideo. She was charged with felony theft and fired in June, the Duluth News Tribune reported.

The Luther Haven accountant discovered the discrepancies, which included 18 credit card transactions and charges made at three different casinos. More than $25,000 in cash was missing from a safe in her office, authorities said.

Borstad told police she had a serious gambling addiction, the newspaper reported, but convinced herself she was borrowing the money rather than stealing it.

Unusual death benefit?

WISCONSIN — Nearly $600,000 was paid to managed care organizations on behalf of patients who already died, according to a new federal audit.

The Office of the Inspector General examined 2010-2016, and found $589,478 in erroneous state Medicaid patients to managed care groups to cover the dead. The state had contracted with 31 managed care organizations during the time period and paid $12.8 billion.

“Somebody is supposed to be checking if a person is dead or alive,” state Sen. Jon Erpenbach (D-Middleton), a member of the state Senate’s health and finance committees, told the Associated Press. “Obviously, the process didn’t work.”

SOUTHEast

Reptile leads to outage

FLORIDA  — The Night of the Iguana landed one nursing home with major power problems in late September.

An iguana that hit a power line and was electrocuted started a fire, knocking out electricity at the Palms Care Center in Lauderdale Lakes, FL, the South Florida Sun Sentinel reported.

The 120-bed facility switched to a backup generator, but only half the facility was cooled. Officials then moved all of the residents to parts of the building still receiving air conditioning. But due to overcrowding, 20 residents were then moved to local hospitals as a precaution, though none were in distress.

Electricity was restored to Palms Care that evening and residents returned to the nursing home later that same day.

Seniors at risk post-storm NORTH CAROLINA — More than two-thirds of those who died during Hurricane Florence were older than age 65, a new report finds.

Among the senior victims were those who drowned in motor vehicle accidents, those who died of medical conditions such as COPD and an 86-year-old couple who died from a fire started by candles they lit during a power outage. One 82-year-old man committed suicide after his house was destroyed. Seniors who lived alone were believed to be at higher risk.