CENTERVILLE —
Concerning Golden Age Nursing Home of Centerville: I visited Freda King every day since she entered in April 2012. She loved being there and considered it home. She was an independent person and would not ask for help. When the first hip was broken, she had experienced a heart attack. Which came first, who knows? She never admitted feeling pain and couldn’t understand why she was not allowed to get up and walk. She was at such high risk when they took her to Des Moines Mercy, they could only pin the hip. Yet one night, she climbed over the railing to go to the bathroom and they caught her.
Freda was never a good eater even before she entered G.A. Because of this, she was given high nutritional drinks. Her stepgranddaughter was with her at D.M. Mercy for many hours trying to get pureed food and thickened liquids down. She would accept just so far and no more. I continued the effort, as did the staff when she returned to G.A.
One cardiologist at D.M. Mercy recommended Hospice. That was not done. Golden Age tried to do their best in giving proper care — even giving a special mattress and foot coverings to help heal the pressure sores that came from D.M. Mercy. Healing was achieved.
Circumstances were similar with the second break. A stroke seemed to affect swallowing as well as speech, so eating, drinking and communication became more difficult. This caused dehydration, which in turn affected sodium levels and also urinary track infection.
I feel Golden Age has been unjustly treated as federal and state inspectors were brought in during this time and found only one deficiency.
Marilyn Barber
Centerville
Letters to the Editor
January 30, 2013
Golden Age unjustly treated by investigators
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