An anonymous whistleblower in Brooklyn called attention this spring to some of the dire conditions at nursing homes in New York City.
The whistleblower spoke with voice distortion and appeared in silhouette on a teleconference call to speak about her experiences with a nursing home during the pandemic. She was nervous about speaking out publicly, fearing that her relative living in a nursing home in the Crown Heights/Flatbush area would be retaliated against as a result of her actions.
She painted a picture of elderly people left locked alone in their rooms for extended periods of time, problems with rampant dehydration throughout nursing home facilities, and weeks without any form of contact with loved ones. Meanwhile, in COVID-affected homes, New York City officials remarked on “bodies piling up” in hastily assembled morgues.
At the time of a New York Times story in mid-April, approximately 2,000 people had died in New York City nursing homes from the coronavirus.
Response from the city
Officials called for investigations into nursing home conditions during the pandemic after the reports from the whistleblower and other city officials on the teleconference.
Nursing homes have been understaffed and unprepared to handle the coronavirus crisis. While many staff have displayed an immense amount of care, the force with which the virus hit the city resulted in a worst-case scenario for which the facilities simply could not have been fully prepared, and it’s the residents who have suffered the most as a result.
The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in many workplaces failing to implement appropriate safety measures to ensure their employees are properly protected. If you believe your workplace has flouted CDC guidelines and various regulations affecting your area, contact an experienced whistleblower attorney at Kardell Law Group to learn about the legal recourse you have to take enforcement action.
