Bed Entrapment

A nursing home registered nurse found a resident face down and wedged between the mattress on her bed and a wall that was about 10 inches away. According to reporters, the woman was found with her neck pressed up against the bed rail with her head and neck twisted upward towards the ceiling. The woman’s face had noticeable deep and dark bruising caused by broken blood vessels. When found, there were no signs of respiration or a pulse, and within five minutes, she was pronounced dead. Later, the cause of death was declared as suffocation or asphyxiation about her positioning. 

According to inspectors, the home administrator at NewAldaya Lifescapes admitted that none of the residents at the facility had their required bed-rail risk assessment since August 2023. All of the 101 residents, especially the 94 who used bed rails, were in immediate jeopardy of serious injury or death.

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services have not imposed any federal penalty against the facility. The state has proposed a $10,000 fine but is holding it in suspension.

NewAldaya Lifescapes has also been cited by the state for several violations, which includes failure to provide residents with baths and failure to meet needs of incontient residents. A male resident was left to sit in his own feces for 90 minutes after yelling for help. The resident’s call light didn’t work, and he was given a bell to ring when in need of assistance. The resident had to call his daughter, who called the facility after he was not being provided aid.

The facility is owned by Cedar Falls Lutheran Home-NewAldaya Lifescapes. They are a nonprofit, tax-exempt organization. According to tax records, the organization reported revenue of $19.3 million and $21.4 million for total spending in 2022.