Senator Grassley, always an advocate for older people who reside in nursing homes, is demanding an investigation:

U.S. Sen. Charles Grassley is calling for a federal investigation into the way Iowa and other states respond to complaints of poor nursing home care.

“I have an obligation to protect Iowans, and all Americans, from substandard nursing care,” the Republican senator from Iowa said in a letter Thursday to federal officials. Grassley criticized Iowa’s nursing home inspectors for failing to thoroughly investigate a complaint involving Waterloo’s Ravenwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center.

In August 2006, Maizie Bickley was an 89-year-old resident at Ravenwood. Nurse aide Connie Rust called Bickley’s daughter, Sandra Bickley, one night to report concerns that Maizie Bickley was very ill and wasn’t being properly evaluated or treated by the nurses.

Sandra Bickley insisted that the home call an ambulance to transport her mother to a nearby hospital. Medical records show that within hours of Maizie Bickley’s arrival there, she was diagnosed with a possible bowel obstruction, an infection and dehydration. Two days later, she underwent surgery for a potentially life-threatening condition.

The owners of Ravenwood, Care Initiatives of West Des Moines, fired Rust, citing a company policy that prohibits conduct “that results in serious negative public relations.”

Sandra Bickley was furious, particularly when the Iowa Department of Inspections and Appeals looked into Ravenwood’s care for her mother and found no problems. She complained to Iowa Citizens’ Aide Ombudsman William Angrick and to Grassley.

Uugh. Conduct that results in serious negative public relations eh? Well, if the facility had done the right things in the first place the aide wouldn’t have been compelled to make that call now would she? Talk about passing the buck! I hope Grassley can get to the root of the problem at this facility: POOR MANAGEMENT!