Missouri Nursing Home Fails to Provide Food to Residents

After discovering a nursing home in Missouri did not supply its residents with enough food during an inspection this past summer, the nursing home has lost its federal funding.

If you believe your loved one has been neglected and has not had his or her basic needs provided for while in the care of a nursing home facility, the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers at Pitman, Kalkhoff, Sicula & Dentice can help you seek the justice and compensation your loved one deserves.

When inspectors visited the Festus Benchmark Healthcare facility, residents were discovered to be hungry, according to a report by the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) stated that Benchmark did not maintain enough of a reliable food supply within the nursing home and failed to adequately meet residents’ nutritional requirements.

According to inspectors who visited the home, Benchmark’s freezers housed only six bars of ice cream, two french fry bags, and eight small bowls containing ice cream. An additional two walk-in freezers had no food in them.

The investigation discovered that Benchmark had not had food delivered in a month because it did not pay a food vendor. Some facility staff members bought food with their own money, including the dietary manger, in an attempt to provide residents with something to eat.

In addition to the lack of food, inspectors found that there were financial and medication management issues that the nursing facility did not correct in time to maintain federal funding.

Benchmark did not appeal the findings issued by CMS and the last resident moved out by August 2016.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers

Nursing home facilities have a legal obligation to provide for the basic needs of their residents. When they fail to do this, they can be held accountable for any injuries or deaths that result.

Call 414-333-3333 or complete a Free Case Evaluation form today.