By David Campbell
The Princeton Packet
Tuesday, July 31, 2001

   PLAINSBORO — The state has directed The Plaza Regency Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center at the Forrestal Center to cease all admissions while it investigates reports of serious deficiencies at the facility.
   Management of the 180-bed center, formerly known as the Forrestal Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center at The Windrows, says it took action to address the issues prior to the state-imposed "curtailment" including the establishment of a task force with new top-level personnel.
   The curtailment — which forbids the Plaza from admitting new patients or re-admitting former ones — is the latest incident in the nursing home's troubled history, which has included financial woes, staff walkouts and formal complaints to the state and local police from residents' family members.
   "We curtail admissions when we think there is a serious enough problem with the operation of the nursing home," said Marilyn Riley, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Senior Services.
   Ms. Riley said she could not comment further on the details behind the state's action, except that the curtailment, which became effective Wednesday, was imposed following a routine annual evaluation of the facility.
   "We were out there conducting standard annual survey, and we found issues that we felt warranted a curtailment of admissions," she said.
   The sanction will remain in place indefinitely, she continued. The state is expected to complete its survey this week, after which it will submit a report on its findings to the nursing home, she said. The state and the nursing home will then work out a detailed correction plan, which the nursing home will carry out under state supervision, she said.
   According to the Department of Health and Senior Services' Web site, an admission curtailment is based on an evaluation of all aspects of resident care and nursing. The state bases its determination on reviews of care plans, health care and dietary services, housekeeping, staffing, quality of care and quality assurances.
   Deficiencies can range in scope and severity from isolated violations with no actual harm to residents, to widespread violations which cause injuries or put residents in immediate jeopardy of harm.
   Carla Sterling, a spokeswoman for the Plaza, said Monday, "Management is aware of these issues and took proactive measures to address them prior to the commencement of the annual survey."
   Ms. Sterling said a new executive director, director of nursing and assistant director of nursing have been hired and appointed to a task force to "remedy all issues expeditiously and in conformance with the companywide policy of achieving and maintaining the highest standards, at which time management will resume admitting new residents."
   This month's curtailment is not the first time the facility has come under scrutiny by the Department of Health and Senior Services.
   The department visited the nursing home twice in response to complaints, in October 1999 and in March 2000, and found deficiencies on both occasions, according to a spokeswoman for the department at that time.
   Karen Marsh was hired in September as executive director by New York-based Schwartzberg Associates when it acquired the facilities from prior owner CareMatrix Corp.
   Ms. Marsh, who had been given the mandate to improve conditions at the time she was hired, recently resigned, according to Ms. Sterling.
   Care under former owner CareMatrix, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy not long afterward, had come under criticism by family members and had prompted the state visits.
   After the change in management, some current and former staff charged Ms. Marsh and her team with mismanagement. In October, employees staged a sickout and a candle-light vigil to protest conditions, and then demanded they be allowed to unionize. The facility's 68 employees resoundingly voted in favor of unionization in January.
   In May, the facility changed its name from Forrestal Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center to the Plaza Regency. The adjoining Chancellor Park assisted-living facility also was renamed the Plaza Assisted Living Community.

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