Nursing Home Neglect: Part 1 - Patient dies one month after being transferred to Pelican Pointe
A family member who had her loved one inside Pelican Pointe Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center, earlier this year is speaking out about the treatment and cleanliness her family member received inside the facility.
Speaking to KRIS 6 anonymously, due to potential retaliation, she says her family member called 911 after being denied immediate medical care inside the facility.
“That family member had to be hospitalized for over a week, ended up with triple pneumonia and some strep,” she said.
The family member was required to be hospitalized and was on IV antibiotics when they decided not to go back to Pelican Pointe.
The family member telling KRIS6, that wasn’t the only incident her family member had to endure while inside the facility.
“There was many other things we saw ants crawling on the wall. My family member had ants on their bed. There was live roaches in the restroom facility, there were calls lights that were hanging out of the wall. There was leaking spots in the roof,” she said.
Adding there was also AC issues, “At one point the HVAC was not functioning where they had to open the window and put a portable HVAC, which left a pretty good size gap in the window.”
The family member adding her loved one, had a wound that hadn’t been cared for in 19 days.
“That bandage had not been changed for 19 days, it was dated. I was really perplexed when I saw that date on it. I went to the nurse and asked them, that they needed to look at this bandage, there was a wound underneath it, that was getting at one point wound care for,” she said.
Not only was their loved one's wound never cared for, but they left the facility with a stage three ulcer.
"My family member was told that the briefs they change for incontinence could not be changed but every 2.5 hours. If you ring the call light because you need to be changed, you are not going to get changed. They could not be changed because it had not been 2.5 hours. That is neglectful," she said.
Edelia Mercado, Corpus Christi resident, took out her husband out of Pelican Pointe one day after being inside the facility.
“I was very reluctant in letting him stay because of the smell and because of the environment it didn’t look good, but since hospice had brought him there. I took a chance, let me wait an hour, let me see what is going on,” Mercado said.
Mercado says a few hours went by and she called her family to help her get her husband out of the facility.
“Dirty walls, dirty floors, everything was dirty it smelled like a skeeter can and it smells like death. I’m sorry to say but it’s the truth,” said Mercado.
Telling KRIS6 she noticed the neglectful care was coming from the staff.
“It’s not fair, for the patients that are suffering. They fall, they hurt themselves, they are wet, they don’t eat, there are so many things that are happening there – that needs to be looked into,” she said.
Mercado adding, “Someone needs to step up to the plate and look at that because it’s not fair for the people that are suffering.”
KRIS 6 reached out to Pelican Pointe Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center for an in-person interview and tour of the facility.
They responded via their attorney:
“At this time Pelican Pointe respectfully declines your request for an in-person interview and facility tour. We have provided statements in the past that have been excerpted in a manner to fit a narrative not based in reality. We are aware of the subject matter that you would like to discuss. We are operating our facility without incident. No patients nor family members have brought to our attention issues pertaining to the concerns that your news station purports to address. We continue to work closely with our regulators and staff to provide the highest quality care for our residents. We provide ample opportunity to our residents and their families to bring their concerns to our attention and are committed to addressing any issues that arise. Thank you.”
The family, who wished to remain anonymous, filed a complaint against Pelican Pointe Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center through Texas Health and Human Services.
If you would like to submit a complaint about a Texas Health and Human Services, click here.
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