Las Vegas, NV (KTNV) - State health officials say they've closed a valley group home for the elderly after finding evidence of abuse to the residents. Las Vegas Home Sweet Home on Lindell Road near Sahara is closed for business.
According to the Nevada State Health Division, the home was licensed for ten dependent care residents.
They also tell Action News over the years it has been investigated and fined repeatedly for practices dangerous to the health and safety of its residents. Chad Westom spoke with us by phone from the division office in Carson City.
"It is very tragic and we work very hard to ensure that the residents are protected," Westom says. The State Health Division says this most recent investigation began when witnesses claimed one of the residents had been abused. They say a caregiver was yelling at a woman, then drug her down a hallway by her ankle while she was kicking and screaming.
The division also says they uncovered caregivers depositing its residents' social security checks in their own personal accounts, as well as taking more money than needed for things like groceries and then pocketing the rest.
"I think something needs to be done on a lot of these places that are like that," Cherrie Sears says. Cherrie Sears lives near Home Sweet Home. She looks after her own aging mother and finds it appalling anyone would try to take advantage of the elderly.
"Oh I would be devastated, you know, I would want to do something about it for sure," Cherrie answered when asked how she would feel if it had been her mother. Nevada State Health Division did do something about it. They removed all residents and shut the home down.
According to the Nevada State Health Division, the home was licensed for ten dependent care residents.
They also tell Action News over the years it has been investigated and fined repeatedly for practices dangerous to the health and safety of its residents. Chad Westom spoke with us by phone from the division office in Carson City.
"It is very tragic and we work very hard to ensure that the residents are protected," Westom says. The State Health Division says this most recent investigation began when witnesses claimed one of the residents had been abused. They say a caregiver was yelling at a woman, then drug her down a hallway by her ankle while she was kicking and screaming.
The division also says they uncovered caregivers depositing its residents' social security checks in their own personal accounts, as well as taking more money than needed for things like groceries and then pocketing the rest.
"I think something needs to be done on a lot of these places that are like that," Cherrie Sears says. Cherrie Sears lives near Home Sweet Home. She looks after her own aging mother and finds it appalling anyone would try to take advantage of the elderly.
"Oh I would be devastated, you know, I would want to do something about it for sure," Cherrie answered when asked how she would feel if it had been her mother. Nevada State Health Division did do something about it. They removed all residents and shut the home down.