Lake View Manor fails inspection again

State officials 'exploring options' after finding three cases of actual harm

For the third time in as many years, Lake View Manor nursing home has failed a major state inspection.

“It was not a good survey. There were three G-levels — that means three instances in which residents suffered actual harm,” said Kansas Department on Aging spokeswoman Barb Conant.

Conant said state officials were discussing the nursing home’s troubles with their counterparts at the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services regional office in Kansas City, Mo.

“We’re exploring our options,” Conant said. “We want to see what steps can be taken to bring the facility back into compliance and then remain in compliance. The safety and well-being of the residents is our number one concern.”

Until the home passes a follow-up inspection, it will not receive Medicaid or Medicare payments for residents admitted after Dec. 25.

A decision on whether to fine the nursing home is pending, Conant said.

State inspectors spent five days at Lake View Manor, 3015 W. 31st St., last month.

The three “G-level” citations issued because of conditions considered harmful to residents were:

    Lake View Manor, 3015 W. 31st St., has failed its third major state inspection in as many years. Three G-level citations, which are given when residents are found to have suffered actual harm, were issued because of conditions found at the nursing home.

  • Failure to help residents exercise in ways designed to keep them mobile. Without the exercise, several residents’ conditions worsened.
  • Failure to prevent bedsores from occurring and worsening.
  • At least two residents suffered significant weight loss attributed to poor care.

Other, less-serious findings included:

In each of the past three years, Lake View Manor has failed its annual state inspection, filed plans to correct its shortcomings, and passed follow-up inspections.

Currently, Lake View Manor is without an administrator.

“I had one, but he up and quit on me without notice right at two weeks ago,” said Charles K. Pomeroy, who owns the 52-bed nursing home with his parents, Charles P. and Lorene Pomeroy, of Topeka.

“I hope to have one soon,” Pomeroy said. “I have several leads I’m working on.”

In the past year, the home has had three administrators and at least as many head nurses.

Last month, Lake View Manor was cited for not having a qualified activity director or a certified dietary manager on staff.

Pomeroy pinned much of the home’s trouble on high staff turnover.

“It’s hard to get and retain staff,” he said. “If I knew what the answer was, I’d be doing it, believe me. We’ve tried a couple approaches, and now we’re reassessing to see what else we can do.”

Advocates for nursing home residents said state officials had cut Lake View Manor too much slack.

“This isn’t supposed to be happening. To have a yo-yo facility — one that keeps going from bad to good and back — is bad enough, but what’s going on at Lake View certainly appears to go beyond that,” said Margaret Farley, a Lawrence attorney and a former director of Kansas Advocates for Better Care.

“There needs to be a solution that’s some place between letting them go like they have and putting them in receivership. What they’re doing now isn’t working,” Farley said. “The bottom line here is that this is a hazardous place for people to live.”

Pomeroy said he had no plans to close the home, adding that he intended to pay Lake View Manor’s delinquent property taxes.

“It’ll be paid by Dec. 20,” he said.

Records show the Pomeroys owe $65,182 in 2002 and 2003 taxes on the property.