Personal Care Home in Letcher Co. Closed After Years of Problems, Failing Patients
The Kentucky Attorney General’s Office and Cabinet for Health and Family Services has finally stepped in to close the Golden Years personal care home after years of substandard living conditions, patient abuse, fraud, and outright theft. The trouble really started in 2007 when the former operator of the facility, James “Chum” Tackett, was involved in a physical altercation with a resident. But it was the allegation that Tackett stole more than half a million dollars from the facility and its residents that ultimately led to criminal charges. In 2009, another citation from the state was levied against the facility related to Tackett having inappropriate contact with residents. The Circuit Court in Letcher County appointed another person to try and fix the facilities image and service to its residents, but the Attorney General and CHFS have apparently decided that the changes were not sufficient and are shutting down the facility.
According to the Courier-Journal, personal care homes house roughly 6,500 residents in nearly 80 facilities around Kentucky. They are supposed to provide housing for poorer, elderly people who have medical issues preventing them from doing all of their activities of daily living on their own, have a fixed income, and usually have no other means of support. They provide meals, bedrooms, resident supervision, and personal activities like dressing and bathing. However, concerns from local watchdog groups like Kentucky Protection and Advocacy state that these facilities serve to isolate, not help, residents and that many residents would like to explore other living options. Compounding matters is the high incidence of mental illness in the homes. The concerns are certainly justified after one home in Northern Kentucky allowed a resident to wander off of the premises. The man was later found dead.
Abuse and maltreatment are commonplace these days in all different types of facilities for the old and sick. From nursing homes, to rehab facilities, to the personal care homes at issue here, there is ample opportunity for mistreatment to occur. If you or a loved one think that you have suffered mistreatment at the hands of one of these facilities, you need experienced attorneys who have handled these types of cases. Call or e-mail, Brian D. Cook, or any of the other excellent nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys at Bahe Cook Cantley & Nefzger PLC.
