The Gardens of Trent

Overview of The Gardens of Trent

The Gardens of Trent is a 60-bed assisted living facility at 2915 Brunswick Avenue, New Bern, Craven County, North Carolina. It provides 24-hour staffing, accepts Medicaid, and holds a 3-star state rating with Walk Score 76 indicating high walkability.

Medication administration failures and serious resident supervision breaches define The Gardens’ regulatory record, with substantiated Type A1 violations indicating systemic care failures. Over eight years, the facility averaged 8.4 deficiencies annually, 62 percent above North Carolina’s 5.2-deficiency benchmark. April 2025 complaint investigation substantiated critical findings. The facility failed to administer seizure medication (Depakote) as ordered for Resident #1, resulting in multiple hospitalizations and seizures.

The facility failed to notify Craven County Department of Social Services of incidents resulting in emergency medical evaluation or hospitalization within the required 48 hours.

Resident elopement incidents with supervision failures appear repeatedly across the record. June 2023 complaint investigation substantiated Type A1 violation when a resident with dementia eloped from the facility, with staff failing to respond to audible sounding device for the mag lock switch. The facility failed to provide supervision with dignity and respect to a resident and failed to report abuse allegations within 48 hours for two residents (census 52 of 60 beds). January 2023 complaint investigation documented October 25, 2022 elopement when Resident #1 with dementia reached a restaurant 704 yards away within 10-15 minutes, with doors unlocked for 13-15 hours due to malfunctioning mag locks and failure to hear and respond to audible sounding device (Type B violation).

Physical plant deficiencies spanning multiple inspection cycles reflect deferred maintenance and safety system failures. November 2024 follow-up construction survey found three uncorrected deficiencies: exterior egress paths improperly lit, electrical outlets in East Laundry room lacking ground fault circuit interrupters, and exhaust fans in rooms 45 and 49 non-operational. March 2019 construction survey identified 10 deficiencies including bathroom renovations non-compliant with North Carolina Building Code (shower heads over toilets, non-waterproof walls, missing floor drains), corridor obstructions, seven unsecured portable oxygen cylinders, incomplete fire safety rehearsal records, non-functional emergency lighting and exit signage, portable electric heater, hot water temperatures of 94-96 degrees (below 100-degree minimum), and missing exhaust ventilation.

Clinical care deficiencies span medication administration and nutrition. May 2019 annual survey found detachable shower head fixtures with looped hoses dangling over toilets in Special Care Unit, expired and unlabeled foods, therapeutic diets not served as ordered, incomplete medication administration records, and lack of physician contact for medication clarification. March 2017 annual survey documented medication administration errors with insulin, antipsychotic, pain reliever, laxative, antibiotic, and heart medications; two of three medication aides lacked annual infection control training; two of five staff lacked required 80-hour personal care training; resident neglect resulted in second-degree burns from bed placement near heater. May 2024 annual survey identified one deficiency when four deceased residents’ Estate Administrators failed to receive refunds within 30 days due to corporate accounting staff turnover and lost refund requests.

May 2017 and February 2017 construction surveys documented delayed egress exit door failures with missing signage and non-functional alarms, magnetic locks failing to unlock within 15 seconds or upon fire alarm activation, heat detectors improperly mounted or missing, and fire alarm pull station detached. April 2025 follow-up survey confirmed all previous deficiencies had been corrected. No fines or license suspensions appear in the record.

Families should ask about corrections following the April 2025 seizure medication administration failure, resident supervision, mag lock and alarm systems, and medication administration procedures.

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Facility Direct Line (252) 638-4680