CNA assaults resident after a fall
The Herald Tribune has another tragic story about a nursing home employee assaulting an elderly woman in a nursing home. How can the other staff not know what is going on? What kind of background check do they actually do? Do they ask for references? Do they check references?
A former nursing assistant at Punta Gorda Elderly Care Center was arrested today and charged with felony elder abuse. The woman, Letitia Calderwood kicked a 76-year-old woman in the back and slapped her in the face, according to a press release from the Punta Gorda Police Department.
On May 19, Calderwood and two other employees were helping the elderly woman get up from a fall in the bathroom, police reported. Struggling to help the woman, Calderwood kicked her in the lower back while she was still down and then slapped her in the face when she was lifted to her feet, according to the report.
Calderwood and the two other facility employees had difficulty helping the resident to her feet and Calderwood subsequently kicked in her lower back while using a profanity. Once the resident was helped to her feet, Calderwood struck her in the face with an open hand.
Both employees were interviewed by detectives and provided statements describing the incident and the alleged battery and abuse. Calderwood was interviewed by detectives and admitted to kicking and striking the resident as originally reported. She stated that her actions were done out of frustration although she knew the patient was disabled and had limited ability to stand on her own.
Calderwood is being held without bond at Charlotte County Jail. She faces one charge of battery on the elderly and one charge of abuse of the elderly, both third-degree felonies.
