CLEVELAND — For the first time, we’re hearing from a former employee of a troubled nursing home that’s been the focus of an on-going News 5 Investigation. The former employee said the conditions inside King David have been difficult.
“It’s overwhelming. You feel helpless,” described Johnitta Yates about most of her employment under the new ownership at King David. She said she worked there when it was Menorah Park, but at King David, she said her area was often understaffed. “And then most of the patients or residents they’re alert. So, they’re angry with you,” said Yates.
News 5 has heard from former residents and their loved ones about problems with hitting call lights for immediate help and no one comes for a long time.
“Lights are on, care is being delayed because I’m constantly going to get the things that I need,” said Yates.
TWO MORE ODH INSPECTIONS FIND PROBLEMS
Since our last report, there have been two Ohio Department of Health (ODH) inspections that both found ”the facility remains in a cycle of continued non-compliance since 7-24-24.”
“It’s hard to find equipment either the battery is dead, the charger isn’t working for the Hoyer lifts or the stand-up lifts,” said Yates about her time there.
She said she was told to go home after a dispute with a supervisor about a lift that she couldn’t use to help a resident to the bathroom and what Yates said was an important call on her cellphone while at work.
“By the time I reached the parking lot, I received the email stating that I was DNR’d…do not return,” said Yates.
UPDATE: JUDY DRATLER FROM OUR LAST REPORT
Someone else who won’t be returning is Judy Dratler, who we told you about in our last King David story.
Her granddaughter Erin Rosado said Dratler was threatened with discharge, which is like an eviction.
“Before the appeal was even able to take place, we decided to pull her out,” said Rosado.
The recent inspections show King David “failed to ensure..fall interventions were implemented” and “further failed to accurately report assessment findings...” after a resident in mid-September fell out of bed, fracturing the collarbone and ribs.
The facility also “failed to maintain wheelchairs and medical equipment in a clean and sanitary manner….” Plus, it failed to keep kitchenettes “clean and sanitary,” which “had the potential to affect…34 residents.”
Rosado said that as she was packing up her grandmother’s things, she noticed Dratler was barefoot and that her shoes were on a shelf. Rosado said the shoes smelled terrible.
“And I put the shoes to my nose and I was like yep, these are going in the trash. It was feces,” she told us.
Rosado said her grandmother was happy on the drive to a new nursing home.
“I haven’t seen her smile and laugh in a very long time,” she told us while tearing up.
“And what did that mean to you?” we asked.
“A lot,” she told us with tears in her eyes.
For Yates and her overall 17 years of caring for senior citizens, she felt the need to step forward.
“You know, stand up for the elderly continue taking care of the elderly,” said Yates. “And I think that, you know, just doing this interview that’s what I’m doing.”
News 5 Investigators once again reached out to King David management and, once again, have heard nothing from them.
