EASTON, Pa. – Northampton County officials are addressing a grand jury report on safety concerns at Gracedale nursing home.
Map: Gracedale Nursing Home — Upper Nazareth Township, Pa.
District Attorney Stephen Baratta held a news conference on the report Thursday.
He described instances of violence, poor communication, and a lack of security at the facility.
The report stems from an incident last year, when investigators say a Gracedale nurse assaulted a patient, claiming the victim had ‘demons’ inside her.
Baratta described the scene police walked into.
“They discovered the nurse stuffing rags and her hands in the mouth… blood around the bed,” Baratta said.
The grand jury report says multiple patients in the room with the victim tried to call for help, but those calls went unanswered.
The DA says, during the investigation, more safety concerns were raised, along with reports of bullying and pay discrepancies.
At the news conference, Baratta laid out the grand jury report’s recommendations.
The report says the home could reduce dependency on outside agencies. He noted that less than half of the nursing staff are county employees.
It also recommended creating a liaison position. The person would oversee Gracedale independent of the administrative staff and report to the county executive and council.
He said he hoped the report would spur discussion and debate in county government.
After Baratta spoke, Northampton County Executive Tara Zrinski, in a separate briefing, said the county would review the report and address weaknesses in Gracedale’s operations.
She said the county would work to strengthen quality assurance, ensure patient and staff safety, and plan for the home’s long-term future.
She said the county had already started taking corrective actions.