Nursing Home Sued For Neglecting One of Its Residents

Nov 23, 2002 | KTVA.COM A local nursing home is being sued by one of its former residents for abuse and neglect.

The lawsuit was filed this week against Chugiak Senior Center on behalf of Cleo Metcalf.

Cleo's daughter, Madonna Porter, says the center neglected her mother.

Porter says the staff at Chugiak failed to maintain its assisted living center and failed to properly check up on Metcalf.

In April of this year porter visited her mother and had to take her to the hospital.

The doctor found Ms. Metcalf extremely dehydrated, with sunken in eyes and a severe yeast infection of the mouth.

Reports say these symptoms were a direct result of improper care at the center.

Porter filed the lawsuit to improve laws and rights for people in assisted living centers and to keep this type of neglect from happening again.

"The motivation was we've gotta fix this. It's not just my mom. You look around any facility and you see hopeless ness. That's what you see. You see complete despair. And my moms lucky she has me. So now I have to be the voice for others."

Cleo Metcalf is now being cared for at her daughter's house by a personal care assistant.

Porter says after her mother was found ill Chugiak did attempt to make some changes.

We tried to contact Chugiak Senior Center, officials there declined to comment.