Iowa Nursing Home Evacuated Due to Extreme Understaffing

Aspire of Donnellson faced an emergency evacuation last month due to an extreme shortage of staff. The Iowa nursing home facility was so understaffed, in fact, that workers there sometimes called 9-1-1 for assistance. State records show that even the director of nursing pulled a 34-hour shift with minimal breaks to help staff care for residents.

Hours before the ordered evacuation, the facility transferred about a dozen nursing home residents to other facilities. This left about 18 residents inside the dementia unit that needed to be evacuated. The remaining residents were later evacuated due to fire-safety issues.

What Triggered the Aspire of Donnellson Evacuation Order?

On the morning of the evacuation, state workers say the nursing home had no workers to monitor the 17 residents living in the east and west halls of the facility. The nursing home administrator attempted to help but had difficulty locating residents’ rooms and answering call lights promptly. Even the director of nursing was overwhelmed, reportedly saying she “did not know where to start.”

By 9 a.m., officials at Beacon Health Management, the Florida-based company that owns Aspire, made the call to evacuate the residents.

Were Beacon Health Management Officials Aware of the Staffing Issues?

A former administrator reported taking weekend shifts and cooking meals for residents due to staff shortages. She claimed she repeatedly asked for more help, sending numerous emails to management over several months. However, she was allegedly told she could not hire more staff without bringing in additional residents.

State inspectors reportedly asked Beacon Health’s COO whether he refused to approve more staffing until there were more residents at the facility. The COO’s response was astonishing. He said he questioned at the time whether the facility was overstaffed. According to inspectors, Beacon Health’s executive officer stated it had been challenging to hire temporary workers because of the outstanding debts the facility owed to staffing agencies.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) Terminates Aspire’s Medicare Funding

According to a recent news article, CMS terminated Aspire’s Medicare funding on September 9. The federal agency says they decided to take this drastic and rare step because Aspire was not in compliance with Medicare & Medicaid’s requirements and had made no meaningful steps towards doing so.

The reason this decision is so significant is that Medicare funding is the primary source of revenue for this facility. Aspire remains closed.

Was Your Loved One Neglected in a Nursing Home? Call PKSD Today.

At PKSD, we help nursing home residents who have been injured due to neglect or abuse. We are committed to helping you and your family seek justice and compensation for your damages.

Are you ready to take the first legal step? Our Wisconsin nursing home abuse attorneys have extensive experience and a proven track record. We have helped our clients recover millions in compensation. If we represent you, we are prepared to help you seek the compensation you deserve.

Our firm currently accepts nursing home abuse and neglect cases in Wisconsin, Iowa and New Mexico.

Our staff is available to take your call 24/7. 414-333-3333