Don,
I've been busy and just saw this thread. There is no excuse for this kind of "treatment".
As others have said, you need an advocate. I would start with these guys:
http://veterans.house.gov/ Then perhaps, follow up with a call to the local TV station. They
love stories like this. You're best bet would be too get a transfer to another facility, though. This place doesn't sound like it's ever going to change. In the meantime, remember the Irish motto: Never Give Up"!
Praying for ya, man.
Regards,
Bob
Bob, I took your advice and wrote the following letter to my VA advocate this morning:
"
The following information has been submitted:
Name: Mr Donald Gaynor Sr
Address:c/o Rebold Manor Nursing Home 1701 East 6th Street Okmulgee, OK 74447
E-mail: dongaynor@yahoo.com
Telephone: 918-758-4299
Message Subject: Elder Abuse
Message Text:
On Friday, June 7th, 2013 I was dropped during a transfer from my wheelchair to my bed. It required several stitches and Emergency Room treatment. Regulations state that two aides are required for transfers but that seldom happens. This specific aide, Shane, was urgently recruited from his normal job on the Med Cart and his own words were: "I have never done this before!" He got me laid in bed without incident but then rolled me so violently that I literally "flew" off the opposite side of the bed and to the hard floor which is linoleum over concrete. They then called for an Aid Van and took me to the Okmulgee Hospital Emergency Room where I received several stitches in my head. The fall also resulted it a tear in the soft tissue of my right shoulder socket. I suffered a stroke that left me mute and paralyzed and the fall has hampered the use of my good (stronger) arm thus limiting my onscreen computer communications. A problem that I see developing is; they are shirking all responsibility by implying that the incident was MY FAULT due to "balance problems" and/or "weak grip". I had already been laid down so balance and grip should not even be a factor or consideration. It's a Corporate smokescreen and I need your protection, please. The phone number is my private line in my room but it is not secure. I must rely upon Corporate employees (aides) to answer and return phone calls so the best method of communication is via email. Please acknowledge this message so I can be assured that you have received it. They have asked me to undergo a psychiatric evaluation which I have refused saying: "Evaluate the dumper, not the dumpee!" There was another, even more serious dumping when the chair lift broke (lake of maintenance) and dumped mr over 8 feet to the tile floor requiring 20 staples in my head and months of painful Physical Therapy. If memory serves, this is my FIFTH DUMP TO THE FLOOR but the only documented incidents are the ones where I had gone to ER. Surely the other incident reports have "disappeared". If I had legal support I would definitely start an action against Rebold and their parent corporation, Grace Living Centers of OKC, more for the protection and welfare of others less lucid than myself, those with Alzheimers, Dementia and end-of-life issues who can't defend themselves. Please acknowledge via email. Thank you for giving one mute and badly bent veteran a powerful voice that's capable of quaking the very foundations of our slipshod eldercare system. The people who are well-paid to protect us from such incidents.
Further, my niece, Debbie in Seattle, singlehandedly took on a much larger corporation AND WON! She's on the case today! Debbie is another tiny, tenacious bulldog that one wants in their corner. Amy, Alyssa, and Debbie comprise one hellacious tag team! I certainly wouldn't want to confront them in battle, especially if they have a righteous cause.
Matt is digging deep to discredit my mental competence thus get my version of the incident thrown out. He asked me to submit to a Psychiatric Evaluation and I flatly refused saying: "Evaluate the dumper, not the dumpee!" I can't see an advantage TO ME regardless of the outcome of a psychiatrist evaluation but I see how anything negative would be instantly used AGAINST ME.