DOH report on an Edgewood facility uncovers problems

3 staffers fired after woman’s 2015 death

EDGEWOOD — A state Department of Health report on the death of a resident of Bee Hive Homes assisted living in Edgewood last winter said the facility had multiple problems with treatment of patients and background checks, and noted that three people eventually were terminated over the incident.

On the night of Dec. 19, 2015, a resident of Bee Hive Homes of Edgewood wandered out of her room and out of the facility. She was found the following morning frozen to death.

The workers at Bee Hive of Edgewood that night did not do hourly checks, as required by state statute, and did not restrain her, despite knowing she was a “wanderer,” according to the inspection report.

The report states that the “three employees involved were suspended, investigated and their employment was terminated. Chimes were installed on the exit doors to the facility to alert staff any time the doors are opened. All staff were in-serviced regarding every hour checks for all residents. This policy requires staff to verify the location and condition of each resident every hour.”

Several workers at the facility at the time had not had appropriate background checks done until after they were hired.

The checks include reports from the Employee Abuse Registry — a DOH listing of criminal records — on all new hires prior to their hire date. Several employees at the time of the original report had EAR reports several days, and in one case a week, after their hire date.

This situation has been fixed, according to a report dated July 11.

Other issues ranged from proper ventilation of the linen closet to a lack of regular monthly fire drills, and the difference between assisting with medications and administering medications. Each has a plan of corrective action to ensure ongoing compliance.

The DOH does not comment on specific facilities and officials with Bee Hive Homes of Edgewood did not return calls.