Admissions Frozen At Nashville Nursing Home, Closing Likely

By Walter F. Roche Jr.


New admissions have been barred at a 124-bed Nashville nursing home, with a long history of citations for violations of state and federal requirements and a closing may be imminent.
The freeze, which went into effect June 4, was made public today by state Health Commissioner John Dreyzehner. A $3,001 fine was also imposed on the Donelson Place Care and Rehabilitation Center which is owned by Signature Healthcare, a Kentucky based nursing home chain.
Though the announcement contained no details on the reasons for the action, state health inspection records show numerous citations over the past year with the latest available issued in March.
Although the announcement made no mention of patient transfers, some residents at the nursing home have been told they must find a new residence within 30 days. The 30 day notice is a signal that federal funding is about to be cutoff forcing a closure.
In the March report inspectors cited the home for subjecting a patient to verbal abuse.
Inspectors also found that a patient who needed toileting assistance was told by an aide that she only could respond to emergencies.
"I'm very busy right now. We only take emergencies," the patient was told.
Federal records show that the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services issued a termination notice to Donnelson Place late last year. The notice was rescinded, however, early this year.
The state also announced it was appointing a special monitor to oversee operations of the care home.