This consumer investigation takes a look at a troubled local nursing home and others owned by the same company. This week brought us two investigations about Waterview Heights in Charlotte. It’s owned by a company called The Grand Healthcare System in Long Island. According to its website, it owns 21 nursing homes across the Empire State. And so, I combed through the ratings for each of their facilities, and there certainly appears to be a pattern.
           
First, I’ll give you a bit of history. The Grand Healthcare System paid more than $9 million when it bought the Charlotte nursing home in July of 2022. It changed the name of the poorly rated nursing home from The Shore Winds to Waterview Heights, likely because of its vicinity to Lake Ontario. But current residents and former employees tell me this is no lake-side resort.

“What I’m seeing there is not good, said Tammy Werth, a registered nurse who worked as a nurse manager at Waterview. “What I’m hearing from the family members is that they’re not getting any answers. They’re also very concerned.”

Tammy Werth is a former nurse manager at Waterview. She says she was fired after having choice words for her boss about the conditions – conditions the New York State Department of Health says are not good. The state has designated Waterview as an SFF or Special Focus Facility because Waterview has “consistently demonstrated failure to maintain compliance” with practices that “have resulted in harm to residents.”

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid rate nursing homes, and on its ratings website, Medicare warns consumers about Waterview with an icon that looks like a hand directing you to stop inside a red circle.  The website states, “nursing homes that have been cited for potential issues related to abuse have that icon next to their name.”

It’s not the only Grand Facility slapped with that icon.  The Grand Rehabilitation and Nursing at Barnwell has one as well, along with the lowest rating, a one which signifies the facility is “much below average.”

In fact, 10 of 21 of its nursing homes carry the lowest rating. Most are scattered across western and central New York.

“The biggest problem is that they’re understaffed,” said Werth. “And that’s been a problem since I’ve been there.”

And public records show it’s a problem at many of The Grand’s low-rated facilities. Of its 21 nursing homes, Medicare rates 76 percent below or much below average. Werth has a message for state health leaders.

“These nursing homes cannot let these new owners that are coming in here, these for-profit organizations, dictate how we can safely take care of our residents,” she said, “We have to make sure all their needs are cared for.”

After our investigations aired earlier this week, State Health leaders confirm that inspectors came to meet with Waterview leaders Thursday. I’m told the purpose of the meeting was to “find ways toward sustained compliance.”

I reached out to the Regional Vice President of The Grand Healthcare System about my research findings, and he did not respond. Before placing your loved one in a nursing home, it’s important to do your research.  Click here for Medicare’s website that rates nursing homes across the country.