Gracedale Nursing Home, which is owned by Northampton County, has been struggling with its Medicare rating for quality measures. This system appears online and applies to all nursing homes. It reflects the quality of care afforded to residents. Gracedale’s rating had dipped to one star, the lowest rating. It currently is back at two stars, which is still considered below average.

Every month, Gracedale Administrator Raymond Soto updates council on measures being taken to improve resident care. But for the past two months, there’s been an increase in the number of pressure ulcers, which are also called bedsores. Lori Vargo Heffner wanted to know why. Although no one can really be sure, this increase may be related to the $500,000 purchase of new mattresses. That took place under former Executive John Brown. Former Administrator Cathy Allen made the purchase, ignoring policies that had been put in place for testing.

Soto indicated that a number of factors can lead to bed sores, including failure to move residents and a diet that contains insufficient protein.

“I’m horrified by this,” said Executive Lamont McClure.He agreed that there are several possible reasons for this two-month increase in bedsores. McClure believes the introduction of new mattresses last December may be one of them. “We’re going to get to the bottom of it,” he promised. “We’re all over it.”

McClure added that another problem that has resulted from these new mattresses is that residents are falling out of bed. The mattresses are often improperly inflated by residents and they form domes, causing some of them to roll out of bed and onto the floor.

Cathy Allen, who had no nursing home experience, executed a half million dollar contract to purchase these mattresses.

Soto explained what happened. At the end of last year, he was told there would be new furniture. He said the mattresses were an afterthought. Cathy Allen told him she was going to get a “good deal” on them.”There wasn’t much input from any of us,” he admitted Soto said there is a policy that new equipment receive a 30-day trial in different areas. “We did not follow policy,” he confessed. He said the trial was in one resident’s room, and it involved Cathy Allen and the erstwhile Director of Nursing.

After the new mattresses were installed, he began receiving complaints. He spent the night at the facility after a snowstorm and tried one of the 309 new mattresses himself. “It was like a rock,” he complained.

The company that sold these mattresses is checking each one and may retain staff on determining the pressure.

Materials Manager Sherry Ficocelli said that Cathy Allen never consulted with her concerning the new mattresses

“It sounds like they were knock offs from Dan’s Mattress City,” joked Ron Heckman.

Ficocelli said that Allen had overstepped her abilities.”We were kind of told to keep out of it,” she declared. “We didn’t go through the proper trials ... . I was told not to, and keep my mouth shut.”

“Say what?” said Heffner. “I don’t think we heard what you just said.”

“You did. I was told to keep my mouth shut,” responded Ficocelli. She indicated it was Allen who muzzled her.

McClure said it is his hope that there are, in fact, several factors. He’s also hopeful that better training will solve the problem.

There have been no serious injuries as a result of the falls.

“Keep us updated on Mattressgate,” said Lori Vargo Heffner.