Fernandina Beach Realty

CYAN MAGENTA YELLOW BLACK P A Teen Pirates, Hornets G E travel win exhibitions PAGE 13A 2 PAGE 1B 75¢ WEDNESDAY, September 2, 2009 / 28 PAGES, 2 SECTIONS • fbnewsleader.com Health care DOG DAYS State forum testy probes RYAN SMITH News-Leader care ‘We have the worst health Tempers flared at a health care care system ... in the forum at Florida State College’s Betty P. Cook Nassau Center Thursday. developed world. By any The forum, hosted by State Rep. indicator, our health care Janet Adkins, brought together center health care professionals to discuss system has failed.’ President Barack Obama’s attempt to DR. JEFF GOLDHAGEN SIÂN PERRY reform health insurance. While both News-Leader supporters and detractors of the gov- UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA ernment’s plan were on the panel, The state is investigating allega- the audience at times became open- product,” he said. “Something has to tions of poor patient treatment at ly hostile to those who supported a be done about the cost of health care. Amelia Island Care Center a year after public option plan. Item number two: Last year over 48 threatening to close the facility after it “Health care reform is an impor- million people went without health essentially failed its annual inspection. tant issue. ... Our goal here tonight is care through some part of the year. “We are looking into the situation at to share as much information as we ... That’s why the American Hospital Amelia Island Care Center,” said have,” Adkins said. “... We don’t Association has – long before this Shelisha C. Durden, public information intend this to be a partisan event. election – said we need health care officer at the state Agency for Health We’ve reached out to both sides of reform. Care Administration, after it received the aisle.” “Quite frankly, from my perspec- e-mail complaints from a worker at the “The goals for tonight are that we tive – and it’s not a business per- 70-bed facility located at 2700 Atlantic want to have a rich and respectful spective, it’s a moral one – it is moral- Ave. in Fernandina Beach. The center dialogue about the effects of health ly unconscionable to leave people in also operates a day-care for clients at care reform on Northeast Florida,” the kind of lurches we are,” he added. 329 S. Eighth St. said forum moderator Dr. Dawn Health care consultant Dr. Bill An inspection was conducted Aug. Emerick of the Health Planning Amos was against the government 25, said Durden, however, “the inves- Council of Northeast Florida. plan, as was Robin Lumb, health care tigation report is not final. We have Panel member Dr. Jim Mayo of policy analyst for the Duval County 10 business days to finalize the report Baptist Medical Center Nassau said Republican Party. and get it to the provider. Once we reform was urgently needed. “We have problems with health JOHN LLOYD ([email protected])/FOR THE NEWS-LEADER receive the facility’s Plan of Correction “Why are we talking about health care in this country, and there are Brent Carnes and his dog “Dirty Girl” enjoy the surf on Amelia we can release the investigation care reform? We have two very large some solutions at both the state and Island on Sunday as the dog days of summer come to an end. The report.” problems in this country. One is that federal level if people would just get kids are back in school and the weather has cooled off a bit, While Durden said “there are no the cost of health care continues to though it promises to be a lovely Labor Day weekend. Time for a plans to close the facility at this time,” rise faster than the gross national HEALTH Continued on 3A last splash? if the state feels patient welfare is at risk, “we would work with the appro- priate agencies to make sure each resident is safely relocated to another facility.” J. Dawson, head of facilities opera- Learning to cope Cotillions inspire tions for the center, said Monday, “As of now there have been three or four different state agencies to come in and investigate and so far none of (the alle- with a stroke courtesy, character gations) have been substantiated. ... I’m at a loss for words.” As for the Agency for Health Care RYAN SMITH HEATHER A. PERRY important to have the manners and Administration, “The state hasn’t sent News-Leader Stroke support News-Leader the social graces to balance the kids us the results (of the report) to make out.” a correction,” Dawson said, adding, “I had just come home from The Amelia Island Stroke The word “cotillion” brings to The first chapter of what is now “Obviously we are providing the best work,” Rick Davis says. “Before din- Support Group meets the third mind images of debutants in white the NLJC was established in North standard of care ... that we possibly ner I was downstairs in the family Wednesday of each month at gowns being presented to society, Carolina in 1979 and the expansion of can.” room trying to decide whether I was 10:30 a.m. at Savannah Grand escorted by handsome young men in the program founded by Charles and However, the worker e-mails allege going to read the paper or watch the assisted living facility, 1900 tuxedos. Anne Winters began in 1989. poor patient treatment, including nine news on television. All of a sudden the Amelia Trace Court. For more The National League of Junior Today, thousands of students are people with gaping bedsores and one room started spinning, like I was so information, call 321-0898. Cotillions is about much more than being taught etiquette, ethics and with a suspected case of Methicillin drunk I was going to fall down. young ladies and gentlemen at a social dance in hundreds of cotillion Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus, or “I knew there was something real- for a stroke.” dance. It’s also about training young programs presented by chapters in MRSA, a potentially dangerous type ly wrong.” Davis is sitting at a sidewalk table people in character and social edu- more than 30 states. of staph bacteria resistant to certain Davis is a hale and healthy fellow outside a coffee shop. But he is not cation. “The program has been around antibiotics. Other allegations include in his mid-60s. He’s trim and fit, with drinking coffee. He will never be able A chapter of the National League for 30 years and it’s very structured. lack of proper clothing, hygiene, ther- a handshake like a vise. Shaking that to drink coffee again. of Junior Cotillions (NLJC) designed A lot of time has been spent perfect- apy and nutrition for clients of the facil- hand, you’d never know that only a The Fernandina Beach resident to build self-confidence, character, ing and refining the organization and ity, many of whom are profoundly phys- few years ago, it took an almost super- is telling his story because he wants social education and good citizen- the program.” ically and mentally disabled. natural effort merely for Davis to lift other stroke victims to know they’re ship is forming for Nassau County A few of the life skills students Connie Akins, resident services his arm. Listening to that clear, strong not alone – to know there are at this time. learn in local chapters are first manager, worked at Amelia Island Care voice, you’d never know that only a resources available to them. “I’m just really excited to bring impressions, introductions, greetings Center until Aug. 24, when she says few years ago, Davis could barely Specifically, he wants them to know this awareness to the community and and shaking hands, paying and she was fired for questioning the care speak. about the Amelia Island Stroke offer something to the children that receiving compliments, correspon- of the patient with the suspected staph Because on Dec. 21, 2000, Davis Support Group, which meets the they can benefit from not just now but dence, telephone manners, family infection. The official reason for her suffered a stroke. third Wednesday of each month at in life skills,” said program director dining, table manners, polite con- termination was “performing job duties “It was totally unexpected,” Davis Lynn Dempsey. not in her scope,” said Akins. She is dis- says. “I had no idea that I was at risk STROKE Continued on 6A “These days, it’s becoming more COTILLION Continued on 3A puting the action. According to a letter from Akins to center administrator Sharon Jamison, “I went into (the patient’s) room gloved and viewed her wound, her bandage was loose and gapping. I saw the open wound on her back about the size of a quarter and pus coming out. Also red- ness about two inches surrounding the wound. When I spoke to (the nurs- es in charge) they said that they did not know for sure if it was (MRSA) or not, LAZY but they were treating her as if it was. I asked about what would it take for them to have her placed in the hospi- SUMMER tal and was told if she had a tempera- ture along with her other symptoms.” DAY Akins says the patient was in obvi- ous pain but did not receive anything stronger than Tylenol. She said the A skiff, a table for woman also did not receive what the two, all the ingredi- Mayo Clinic lists as the current rec- ents for a perfect ommended treatment, the antibiotic summer afternoon Vancomycin, and that her roommate moored off was not relocated or caretakers prop- Cumberland Island.

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