The University Center West Nursing & Rehabilitation Center in Deland is now under criminal microscope.
When a patient from its hospice unit was transferred to Florida Hospital Deland with chest pains and breathing difficulty, doctors called police. Hospital medical staff found maggots in the left eye of the 82-year-old man, who also had an infected breathing tube, a partially inserted catheter and pressure sores, reports centralfloridanews13.com.
The Daytona Beach News-Journal quoted DeLand County Sheriff Deputy Randy Henderson as saying, “It’s is so uncommon that investigators are researching the life cycle of a maggot to determine how someone can miss this during their care of someone." Since the case is an active investigation, Henderson could not release the man’s name.
Police are investigating the case as possibly criminally neglect elder abuse. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services found 19 deficiencies at the facility since June 2006, according to Local6.com in Orlando. But during state inspections from February 2005 to March 2007, corrective actions were ordered for 28 deficiencies, said the News-Journal. The nursing home is operated by AGE Institute of Florida, Inc.
University Center West administrator JoAnn Grasso, called the allegations “sensational,” saying, “We are conducting our own internal investigation.” She termed the discovery of maggots “an allegation.”
Police may begin their investigation with Monique Miller, former employee at the nursing home, who said, "I haven't seen maggots — but bed sores, yes. That doesn't surprise me because I've seen it several times."
Miller went on to say supervisors don’t insure a healthy environment. "You have to be half dead for them to send you to the hospital, because they're afraid to lose money from an empty bed. It's scary. You have to be very careful when you put a family member in a nursing home."
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