Colorado Nursing Home Faces Scrutiny Over Repeated Violations

A Grand Junction nursing home has drawn attention following full-page advertisements seeking former residents or families with concerns about care standards. Mesa Manor, a Genesis HealthCare facility, has been cited for over 15 federal health and safety violations in recent years, according to Medicare records.

Violations and Fines

Mesa Manor was fined $2,100 in 2013 for violations that caused actual harm to residents, according to Medicare.gov. Inspections in 2013 and 2014 revealed failures in wound care, individualized care plans, and food safety. A 2015 review cited the facility for failing to develop proper immunization policies, safely store and serve food, and maintain a functioning quality assessment team. Most of these 2015 issues were categorized as posing minimal harm to residents.

Medicare inspection reports stated that Mesa Manor twice failed to provide care and services necessary to maintain the highest well-being of each resident, according to surveys conducted in June 2013 and February 2014. The February 2014 inspection report also said the center failed to prevent patients from developing new bed sores or healing existing ones.

Facility Response

In response to the ad campaign, Mesa Manor issued a written statement calling the advertisements “misleading” and “a marketing tactic employed by one law firm in an attempt to attract new clients and file lawsuits.” The facility asserted that the cited deficiencies are outdated and no longer reflect current care conditions. The 84-bed center, located less than five miles from both Community Hospital and St. Mary’s Hospital, emphasized its “home-like environment,” short-stay rehabilitation, and long-term care services.

“We offer some of the largest and brightest rooms in town,” the center’s website states.

Legal Perspective

No lawsuit has been filed against Mesa Manor as of yet, but the attorney responsible for the advertisement defended the outreach.

“We’re not trawling for clients,” said partner Brent Moss, who works out of the firm’s Denver office. “We believe it’s important for people to know about these citations.”

Moss, who is listed as responsible for the contents of the ad, added that the ad includes a toll-free number for Mesa Manor residents, former residents, and their loved ones to call.

He emphasized the broader standards that facilities like Mesa Manor are required to meet under federal law.

“A variety of federal laws and the regulations define standards of care for nursing homes and assisted living facilities,” Moss said.

“Among other things, the law requires nursing homes to provide residents with an individual care plan. They must also receive necessary nursing and social services, medical and pharmaceutical care, dietary and nutritional services, rehabilitative services, daily hygiene and assistance with all activities of daily living,” he explained.

“When the nursing home does not meet these standards, and their negligence leads to injury or illness among residents, the nursing home is guilty of nursing home abuse,” Moss said.

Despite growing public awareness, Moss stressed that elder abuse is still rampant and often hidden.

“Our elderly are among the most vulnerable citizens in our society. They are often unable to speak up and accuse their abusers,” Moss said. “Elders are routinely the victims of financial, physical, emotional and sexual abuse. The emotional and physical toll on the victim and his or her family can be devastating.”

He also criticized how corporate ownership can impact the level of care provided.

“Too often, the large corporations that own and operate nursing home chains cut corners to increase profits at the expense of residents,” Moss said.

As an example, Moss pointed to a recent legal victory involving another Colorado facility.

Moss said his clients recently won a verdict of more than $3 million for abuse and neglect inflicted by a Pueblo nursing home.

Rising Nursing Home Litigation

As the U.S. population ages, lawsuits involving elder abuse and nursing home neglect have surged. A 2017 Wall Street Journal report found such cases on the rise, often linked to chronic understaffing and profit-driven decision-making. About 70% of U.S. nursing homes are run by for-profit corporations, per U.S. Census Bureau data.

“Lawsuits alleging abuse and neglect may be driving up insurance costs, but they haven’t driven any big chains out of business,” The Wall Street Journal reported.

Moss’s team has reportedly secured jury awards amounting to more than $100 million in damages against national nursing home chains since 2011 — and that number is expected to grow.

Industry Impact

By 2030, the Census Bureau projects that the U.S. will need over 1.7 million nursing home beds to care for a rapidly aging population. While legal action may bring some change, ongoing concerns about oversight, staffing, and quality of care remain at the forefront of elder care discussions.

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