Crestmont nursing home closes doors

Tri-County Times | Fenton, MI Vera Hogan Associate Editor

Administrator claims ‘it was a business decision’ for Fenton facility

Crestmont Health Care has closed its doors.

Over the years, in addition to caring for senior citizens and others needing its services, Crestmont Nursing Home Care Center on Trealout Drive in Fenton was a place where volunteers were recognized, nurses were honored, homecoming dances took place, and classic car shows and Christmas bazaars were held.

Today, the nursing home is closed for good, having transferred its last patient Friday, Feb. 14, according to Birdie Goynes, administrator.

Goynes would not comment on why the nursing home closed, or what the plans are for the empty building now. “It was a business decision,” is all Goynes would say.

Mike Reilly, building and zoning administrator for the city of Fenton, said, “The building is not owned by Crestmont’s management. The landlord did not renew their lease and told them to vacate. That’s all I know. I don’t know what’s going to happen to the building.”

A check with LARA, the state’s licensing and regulatory affair revealed no current violations. “The building was in compliance,” Goynes said.

A Department of Health and Human Services Medicare reports (with dates not recorded) revealed some deficiencies involving privacy issues with patients, and failing to record in the appropriate paperwork and electronic charts a patient’s advance directive to “not resuscitate,” which could have resulted inthe potential for incorrect end of life treatment, according to the report.

A July 2019, Medicare report shows a deficiency in a resident’s right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment, including but not limited to receiving treatment and support for daily living safely.

The inspector noted that this particular resident was reported to be difficult and uncooperative with staff, refusing care and to be bathed, for example.

The staff was ordered to develop the complete care plan within seven days of the comprehensive assessment to be prepared, reviewed, and revised by a team of health professionals.

It is unknown if Crestmont complied.

2016 federal complaints

In June 2016, The Michigan Protection and Advocacy Service, Inc. (MPAS) filed federal complaints June 2 against Crestmont Nursing Care Center.

Crestmont was charged with one count of violating the Protection and Advocacy for Individuals with Mental Illness (PAIMI) Act’s access to records provision; one count of violating the Developmental Disabilities (DD) Assistance and Bill of Rights Act’s access to records provision; and one count of violating the Protection and Advocacy of Individual Rights (PAIR) Program of the Rehabilitation Act’s access to records provision

According to the complaint, MPAS reviewed licensing surveys from May and November of 2015, which indicated that individuals with disabilities might have been subject to abuse and neglect.

The survey identified approximately 10 residents who may have been subject to abuse and neglect relating to a failure to develop care plans, failure to properly treat pressure sores, the administration of psychotropic medications and failure to provide appropriate social services.

Crestmont Nursing Care Center failed to turn over all of the requested records relating to the investigation, according to the complaint. MPAS asked the court to require Crestmont Nursing Care Center to provide all of the requested records and to have plaintiff’s costs and reasonable attorney fees covered, related to this investigation.

It is unknown if Crestmont complied with the order or if any of these reports or charges had anything to do with the home closing last week.

About Crestmont

Crestmont Nursing Home Care Center (then called Crestmont Medical Center) was opened in 1968 by Dr. Frederick H. Bostick, a long-time Fenton osteopathic physician. Thirty-five investors joined him in the venture and he paid them back double. His office was located in the facility until his retirement in 1989. In its prime, Crestmont was a 152-bed full-care facility. Bostick died Oct. 17, 2000 at the age of 88.