Police calls decline at Clinton nursing, rehabilitation facility

Richard Balogh, administrator at the center, said that staff has worked with police and nursing home residents to quell unwarranted calls.

He said that there have only been about five calls to police since he took over as administrator in February.

The Gazette reported that police records showed officers made 338 trips to the nursing home from January 2003 through June 21, 2005. Calls for service are reported for incidents including assault, theft, abuse and possession of drugs.

Police could not immediately provide the current number of calls. Calls are made by both the staff and residents. Balogh said that the facility, which currently houses 263 residents, is also keeping younger patients for shorter periods of time, usually only six months.

‘‘There was a population that used to exist that was a younger population more prone to getting into mischief,” Balogh said.

In the past the facility was keeping younger patients that were more likely to cause police calls. These patients abused staff and other patients causing the frequent police calls.

Lisa Proctor, spokesperson for the center, said that before, younger patients that faced long-term care had trouble facing the fact that they couldn’t do things that they used to. ‘‘Seeing their needs in front of them was overwhelming,” Proctor said.

That would often caused disruptive acts, which prompted calls to the police, Proctor said.

In 2005, police told the nursing home they were receiving too many calls for Stuart Lane location and urged management to increase security. Social workers are also playing a bigger role in transitioning patients in and out of the nursing home. The home has also hired a full-time staff educator who trains staff to handle patients, including those that might be disruptive.

Morris said that they still get calls from the facility, but for many of the incidents, police reports do not need to be filed.

‘‘They are required to report every crime or alleged crime regardless of severity,” said Morris, the District 5 police commander.

And, according to Morris, many of the situations can be settled easily. Morris gave the example of when police responded to a call recently. An 88-year-old woman started to push a 77-year-old man in a wheelchair down the hall. When he told her to stop, and she didn’t, the man slapped at her.

In the strictest letter of the law this is an assault, Morris said.

‘‘But the assault charges won’t hold up in court because of the mental state of the patients.”

Balogh said the staff has reached out to those around them.

‘‘We have built on the relationship with police and have educated staff and residents,” Balogh said. ‘‘We do not hinder residents from calling police if it is necessary though. We still call if there is any kind of abuse.”