Inspection Reports for Avamere at South Hill

The inspection was conducted in response to complaints #173869 and #173897 regarding water damage caused by a valve failure during preventative maintenance of the fire sprinkler system.

The fire sprinkler system was found to have a rusted and broken post (PIV) requiring maintenance or replacement. The facility followed procedures, no fire occurred, and no evacuations or injuries were reported. The sprinkler system was operational and contractors were engaged for repairs.

Complaint #173869 and #173897 involved water damage due to a valve failing to be tightened during maintenance, causing minor flooding in the fire sprinkler room and nearby resident rooms. No fire, evacuation, injuries, or fire department response occurred. The complaint was investigated by the State Fire Marshals Office, and the facility was found to have followed procedures with no violations.

The Department completed a follow-up inspection of the Assisted Living Facility to verify correction of previous deficiencies.

The follow-up inspection found no deficiencies and confirmed that the facility meets Assisted Living Facility licensing requirements. Previous deficiencies related to medication services, medication availability, medication refusal, monitoring residents' well-being, service agreement planning, resident records protection, and staff training were corrected.

The complaint investigation was triggered by allegations of chemical restraint use and medication errors. Medication errors were substantiated and cited.

The inspection was an unannounced complaint investigation triggered by allegations including no staff response to call lights, lack of assessment after a resident fall, and medication administration issues.

The investigation found a failed provider practice related to the communication system, specifically the call light system, which was malfunctioning and resulted in delayed or no staff responses to resident calls. No failed practices were identified regarding fall assessments or medication administration allegations.

The complaint investigation involved allegations of no staff response to call lights, no assessment after a resident fall, and medication technician not administering medications. The fall and medication allegations were not substantiated, but the call light system failure was substantiated with citations issued.

The Office of the State Fire Marshal conducted a fire safety inspection at the Avamere at South Hill residential care facility on 09/26/2024.

The inspection found multiple fire safety code requirements either corrected or acknowledged, including ceiling clearance, record keeping, extension cords, cleaning, owner's responsibility, inspection and maintenance, duct and air transfer openings, testing and maintenance, portable fire extinguishers, and power tests. Several violations were corrected or scheduled for correction.

The Department of Social and Health Services completed a follow-up visit to the assisted living facility to verify correction of previously cited deficiencies.

The facility failed to complete a fingerprint background check for one staff member, an uncorrected deficiency previously cited on June 13, 2024, resulting in a civil fine.

The department conducted an unannounced on-site complaint investigation from 05/10/2024 through 06/13/2024 based on multiple allegations including staff leaving a resident soaked in urine, staff making obscene gestures and derogatory remarks, failure to do monthly skin assessments, staff administering insulin without proper credentials, and a staff stating a resident needed to die due to pain.

The investigation found failed facility practices including failure to report allegations of neglect related to incontinence care, failure to complete national fingerprint background checks for some staff, and failure to report abuse/neglect allegations to the department hotline. Other allegations such as improper insulin administration and skin assessment failures were not substantiated. The facility terminated the involved staff and took corrective actions.

Multiple complaints investigated including staff leaving a resident soaked in urine, staff making obscene gestures and derogatory remarks, failure to do monthly skin assessments, staff administering insulin without proper credentials, and a staff stating a resident needed to die due to pain. Some allegations were substantiated with failed facility practices and citations written; others were not substantiated.