'Makeshift Morgue' Nursing Home In NJ Had Violations, Complaints

ANDOVER, NJ - The long-term care facility that had over a dozen bodies removed from a "makeshift morgue" Monday in the midst of the new coronavirus, or COVID-19, pandemic has a history of health and safety deficiencies and thousands of dollars in fines, according to Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services records.

The Andover Subacute & Rehab Center Two long-term care facility has come under fire after authorities responded to an anonymous tip that they were piled up at a "makeshift morgue," according to officials. Gov. Phil Murphy said Thursday that he is "outraged" by the reports, saying the idea that the deceased were treated this way "is completely unacceptable."

Murphy said he was "heartbroken" over the tragic news and praying for the recovery of the residents and employees devastated by COVID-19. He also said the Office of Attorney General and the state Department of Health were looking into the matter and may take action.

The facility has recorded dozens of positive coronavirus cases, but the cause of death for the deceased has not been confirmed. This is not the first time this particular facility has come under scrutiny, according to inspection reports.

Over the past three years the overall rating for Andover Subacute and Rehab II is one star, placing it "much below average." The health inspection during that time brought up five citations and also saw the facility one star. The health inspection star rating is based on each active provider’s current health inspection survey and the two prior surveys, as well as findings from the most recent three years of complaints information and inspection revisits, records note.

The records also indicated that many of the health violations were the result of complaints to the survey agency.

Records show the facility was also found deficient in:

• telling residents, the resident's doctor, and a family member's of situations, such as injury or decline, that affect the resident.
• honoring the resident's right to a safe, clean, comfortable and homelike environment
• ensuring services provided by the nursing facility meet professional standards of quality
• ensuring that a nursing home area is free from accident hazards and provides adequate supervision to prevent accidents.

'Screaming For Water'

Those violations did not come as a surprise to Nina Solomon, who told Patch she has a dear friend in the facility.

"Patients on her floor scream for two hours just to get water," she said. "There will be more deaths because no one cares about these people. They are dying without dignity."

Solomon said more people, like her friend, could be next.

The facility also had a series of fire safety deficiencies in the records, such as not having elevators that firefighters can control in the event of a fire, not keeping aisles, corridors, and exits free of obstruction in case of emergency, improper usage of power strips and extension cords and not having an an Emergency Preparedness Program, records show.

The Andover Subacute and Rehab II was also fined by the Federal government for these deficiencies. $13,905 in January of 2019 and $7,673 in November of 2017.

Police on Monday removed the 17 bodies from a small morgue at Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center intended to hold no more than four people, officials said.

Andover Police Chief Eric C. Danielson said in a statement that the facility was overhwlemed.

"There were originally 17 bodies within the facility, of which two had been transported by a local funeral home, 13 transported via assistance from local EMS agencies to a refrigeration trailer located at Newton Medical Center and two deceased bodies remained at the facility for transport the following day (Tuesday)," he said.

Co-owner of the facilities, Chaim Scheinbaum, of Lakewood, sent a letter to authorities that Danielson shared. In it, Scheinbaum said that the backup and after hours holiday weekend issues plus more than average deaths contributed to the presence of more than normal in the facility holding room.

"According to the medical director, desired or normal capacity of the holding room is four with a maximum of 12," Scheinbaum said, noting that the medical director was "aware of the situation and in control at all times."

Currently, Newton Hospital is the backup and the staffing is now at "solid" levels, Scheinbaum said.

According to officials, in the past three months, 68 deaths have been linked to Andover Subacute and Rehabilitation Center I and II, including those of two nurses. Records show 26 people had tested positive for the virus at the facilities.

Judy Persichilli, commissioner of the New Jersey Department of Health, shared a timeline Thursday as part of her segment in Murphy's daily coronavirus briefing.

"We're not pleased with what is going on at the Andover facility," Persichilli said.

Persichilli said the Department of Health required it to report daily on the conditions there and that the facility was told to institute its backup plan for the storage of deceased at the local hospital.

A subacute rehab is generally for complete inpatient care for someone suffering from an illness or injury.

Murphy said he asked Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal to look into the matter, conduct a review of all long-term care facilities where there is a disproportionate number deaths, and take any action needed.

"Like the governor and so many other New Jerseyans, I am deeply troubled by the high number of deaths at certain nursing homes and other long-term care facilities in the state, especially those with below-average track records for health inspections, staffing and quality of care," Grewal said. "I can confirm that the attorney general's office is now investigating the matter, and we will follow the facts wherever they go."

Murphy said the Department of Health will lead a team that has been deployed to assist the center and staff and residents.

"We know there are bad actors in the industry across the country, but New Jersey can lead in how we respond," he said.

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