A Columbia Heights assisted-living center is being held responsible for the death of a resident who suffered head injuries from a fall and received no medical attention for days afterward.
A state Health Department investigative report released last week says that Lighthouse of Columbia Heights "failed to report changes" in the resident's condition to a nurse and "failed to seek medical attention in a timely manner" after the resident fell in November 2011 and developed a sizable bump on one side of her head and a smaller one on the other side.
The resident, who had a history of frequently attempting to get out of bed only to fall, was "semi-responsive" and was hospitalized three days later before dying on Dec. 5 of that year, the report continued. Her death certificate said the fall caused her death.
In citing the center for neglect, the report noted that the facility had no registered nurse available for unlicensed staffers to call after hours in the event of changes in residents' conditions.
According to the report:
The head injuries were first detected Nov. 18, and the woman was not complaining of pain.
On Nov. 19, she called for help while holding herself up in the bathroom and complaining that her nose hurt. Later that night, a staff member noticed bruising on the back of her head.
On Nov. 20, the woman remained in bed unusually late and would not open her eyes or respond. It was on that morning that the registered nurse reported for work and was first told about the woman's condition. The resident was hospitalized later that day.
