Elderly veteran neglect allegation at local nursing home: What we know now

An area nursing home says it's investigating an incident after relatives of one of its resident posted on social media Sunday that the man was being neglected.

Sara Vagedes wrote in a Facebook post that her 89-year-old grandfather was ‘badly’ in need of attention when she visited him at Laurels of Huber Heights Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers on Sunday afternoon.

Here’s five things this news organization has learned about the situation:

1. FAMILY MEMBERS CONCERNED Sara Vagedes wrote in a Facebook post that her 89-year-old grandfather was 'badly' in need of attention when she visited him at Laurels of Huber Heights Nursing and Rehabilitation Centers on Sunday afternoon.

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2. IN DISARRAY The elderly man, a veteran, was aspirating with food piled up in his brace, fruit punch spilled across the bed sheets and trash everywhere, Vagedes said during a phone interview Monday.

3. TRANSPORTED TO HOSPITAL Vagedes' grandfather was transported to Grandview Medical Center and is in the intensive care unit, the family said.

4. GOING VIRAL Vagedes’ Facebook post, which included photos of her grandfather, went viral, and was shared nearly 20,000 times. The Ohio Department of Health would not confirm if it’s investigating the specific incident described in Vagedes’ Facebook post. However, the agency in the past year has investigated nine complaints at Laurels of Huber Heights, according to the Ohio Department of Health’s website.

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5. NURSING HOME RESPONDS "We are aware of comments and concerns that were made via social media about a resident in our care," officials at the facility said in a statement, declining to be interviewed. "We take all concerns very seriously, are investigating the concerns that were posted and will complete a full investigation as well as cooperate with all external regulatory agencies as necessary."

Read more about the report from WHIO-TV reporter Lauren Clark.

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