ABC NEWS EXCLUSIVE: Family speaks out after abuse at assisted living facility caught on camera
By Stacey Sager Wednesday, March 1, 2023 8:38PM
OYSTER BAY, Nassau County (WABC) -- A family is speaking out after an employee at an assisted living facility on Long Island was caught on camera abusing a resident with Alzheimer's.
At one point, the worker appears to push the man to the ground and now the victim's family is working to make sure something like this never happens again.
"I just want this guy to pay for what he did and I think that's only fair," said Jay, the victim's son.
Eyewitness News is protecting the identity of Jay's father after the incident that happened at Harbor House on Feb. 20.
Video shows his 71-year-old father, a resident with dementia, standing in the hallway when a staff member approaches, possibly to check on him, but removes his hat.
The staff member pulls on the resident, repeatedly, but for whatever reason, he doesn't want to leave and falls down seconds later.
The staff member tosses the hat at the man and then swats him in the face and steals the hat.
"He did have a bloody nose so that's how people noticed something was wrong because he had blood dripping down his face from his nose," Jay said.
The family's attorney, Brett Leitner, spoke about the incident.
"It just so happened that the facility caught it on camera and actually disclosed it, because I've had many cases where a nursing facility hides the footage," Leitner said.
And after that, it seems to get worse as the staff member just left the man there. He came back a minute and a half later to check on him but really checked on the floor.
The staff member returned with a rag and wiped the floor then used the same rag to wipe the man's face. He then left again and the man was left to help himself up.
Jay made it very clear that the Harbor House fired the staff member on the spot and called authorities.
"They were so upset about the whole thing, the administrator did a great job of taking care of the situation and talking to us and asking us what we wanted to do about the situation," Jay said.
But the family wants answers.
"Has this happened before? Where did he work before? We need an investigation to find out what happened here," Leitner said.
Jay said he wants justice for his father.
"I want the guy prosecuted, that's for sure, I definitely want that person to pay for what he did," Jay said.
TRANSCRIPT
Eyewitness News exclusive and what you're about to see will likely infuriate you a resident in an assisted care facility on Long Island abused and as you can see from this security camera footage here the resident has dementia the worker was fired a family member of the resident giving this video to Eyewitness News so will there be charges filed and what if the cameras had not been rolling here's how many series reporter Stacy Sager I definitely want that person you know to pay for what he did that's wrong on so many levels his name is Jay and we are protecting his father's identity his father whom he considers to be his best friend so when you see what happened with a staff member here at Harbor House in Oyster Bay you'll understand the frustration it was shocking it was February 20th you see his 71 year old father a resident with dementia standing here in the hallway a staff member approaches possibly to check on him but then removes his hat the staff member is pulling on the resident repeatedly but for whatever reasons he doesn't want to leave and falls down seconds later the staff member tosses the hat at the man and now watch as he swats him in the face then steals the Hat because he had to blow your nose they wanted to see what happened and how he got to blow your nose just to I guess cover themselves and it was their reaction they were just stunned they were so upset it just so happened that the facility quoted on camera and actually disclosed it because I've had many cases where a nursing facility hides the footage and the footage got worse as the staff member just left the man there he does come back a minute and a half later to check on him but really checking on the floor the staff member returns with a rag wipes the floor then uses that same rag to wipe the man's face then he leaves again the man left to help himself up it really shows what's essentially a bully assaulting someone that can't fight back and can't report it Harbor House immediately fired the staff member the facility with a good track record only six violations in the past four years and for nothing involving abuse the Man's family says he's been receiving excellent care here where they plan to keep him but there's lingering questions questions this worried son is hoping autho
