Final preparations are being made for a murder trial involving a former nursing assistant charged in the death of a resident. The nursing assistant is scheduled to face trial next month for her role in the insulin-related death of an 83-year-old resident. The resident was discovered unconscious in her wheelchair just after 7 a.m.

According to state officials, an assisted care center is under state investigation due to ongoing problems with flooding. Several years ago, the nursing home was flooded and residents were evacuated to safety. The waist-deep flood waters entered the facility through the garage and windows so quickly that some people had to stand on top of chairs to stay out of the water.

A former nurse was indicted and charged with multiple charges including beating a patient residing at a nursing home where he worked. The allegations indicated that the nurse punched and beat a disabled resident and pushed the resident into a wall. According to reports, a struggle which was caught on tape ensued and the two men fell onto the floor.

A Spotsylvania County jury recently awarded damages in a suit that began two years ago to an estate of a man who suffered severe burns while residing at Carriage Hill Health & Rehab Center. Inspectors cited the nursing facility for failing to enforce the no-smoking policy and for not providing proper supervision. Carriage Hill has had previous problems and was placed on a special focus list for 18 months with very little improvement made.

After an investigation, a nursing home operator plead guilty to fraudulent activity in the operation of six nursing homes. The charges included fraudulent cost reports submitted to the Medicaid program for items listed at all six nursing facilities. State authorities and the prosecution worked together to uncover the fraud against the Medicaid program and the elderly residents that cannot afford nursing home services.

Elderly adults are at higher risk for abuse or neglect in nursing care facilities due to age and limited mental functioning capacity. Nursing home staff often takes advantage of the elderly placed in their care. Although nursing homes are supposed to care for their residents, some nursing homes are not safe and lead to serious health issues or even death for some residents.