JENISON, Mich. — American House Senior Living Communities is at risk of losing its license for the Cherrywood Jenison facility after a resident was found dead in October.
The Michigan Department of Regulatory Affairs published a full 13-page report of the incident, recommending the nursing home have its license revoked for improper care of a man with Alzheimer's who was "physically handicapped."
The report states it involves the American House Senior Living Jenison Cherrywood location at 798 Oak Crest Lane.
The report alleges that the patient was found face down on the facility's front lawn after escaping earlier in the night. On October 13, investigators found the man pulled the fire alarm before being redirected by staff. Later, they found he pulled the fire alarm again without alerting anyone. Employees of the nursing home told detectives because the fire alarm was not reset after it was pulled the first time, the alarm did not trigger.
The investigative report shows the man was outside for seven hours before staff found him face down on the front lawn. He was found 25 feet away from his walker. Detectives stated it was 49 degrees and rainy when he was found wearing pajama pants and a hunting jacket.
After interviewing numerous employees of American House Senior Living Communities, investigators say the patient was known for making escape attempts from the facility. They also allege staff working during the night in question kept improper care of the man. Investigators say rounds were not properly taken during the time of the incident.
An American House spokesperson released the following statement regarding the incident:
"At American House Senior Living Communities, the health and safety of our residents is our number one priority. We are deeply saddened by the passing of one of our residents on October 14, and we are offering our support and condolences to the resident’s loved ones. We respect the state’s advocacy for ensuring the implementation of Adult Foster Care regulations and are working closely with state officials to review their findings to ensure we continue to provide the high-quality care our residents deserve and have come to expect. We remain committed to our mission of providing the thousands of American House residents we care for and have cared for over the past 44 years with high-quality housing and care, and we’ll continue to work with all stakeholders during this ongoing investigation to identify opportunities for improvement moving forward."
