Nursing home sued after horrific wound found on dementia patient
A nursing home in North Carolina is being sued after a dementia patient’s open wound allegedly became infested with fly larvae, also known as maggots.
Bernice Mayes, 81, was recovering after a bout of COVID-19 while residing at a nursing home in Charlotte. The time in bed caused her to develop a sore on her heel. By four months later, that wound had attracted flies.
According to coverage from WSOC-TV, Mayes’s grandson, Justin Waddell, discovered the injury and sought legal help, citing sanitation issues at the facility as the probable cause of the infestation.
The incident occurred in 2021. After alerting the operator of the facility, University Place Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Waddell noticed the staff had failed to take action to properly treat the wounds and improve cleanliness.
Per his allegations, the facility’s medical director ordered the affected area cleaned with water and vinegar but did not perform an examination.
Nurses at University Place then sent Waddell a video of his grandmother’s wound, and he insisted she be sent to a hospital immediately. He also contacted the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, which conducted an investigation.
The facility received a fine and other corrective actions.
In his pending lawsuit, Waddell is seeking unspecified compensatory damages. He is asking for a jury trial to resolve the claim.
For more, read the full coverage from WSOC-TV at the link below.
Chad is an award-winning writer and editor with over 15 years of experience working in media. He has a decade-long professional background in healthcare, working as a writer and in public relations.