Covered Bridge in Minnesota is facing heat as investigators accuse the facility of neglect
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- The Covered Bridge facility is accused of allowing a man suffering from addiction to consume so much alcohol his blood-alcohol level was three times Minnesota’s legal driving limit
- The resident, who has been hearing voices for 40 years and has experienced homelessness, was too intoxicated for a medical appointment and sent to emergency care, officials say
- The facility denies wrongdoing, saying staff only help residents access their own alcohol in accordance with care plans and facility policies. It is not facing criminal charges
An assisted living facility in Minnesota is under fire after an investigation report claimed that a resident with a history of alcohol abuse was given more than a dozen liquor shots and a beer in the hours leading up to a medical checkup about his alcohol use.
Officials with the Minnesota Department of Health say that the Covered Bridge in Holdingford, Minn. “neglected the resident” by providing him alcohol and not monitoring his intake in a June incident, according to a copy of the investigative report reviewed by PEOPLE.
The resident, who reportedly had a history of alcohol and methamphetamine abuse, was so inebriated that a medical staffer described him as “dead to the world,” according to the report, shared online by FOX 9.
The report said the resident had been hearing voices for 40 years. He took 18 liquor shots and drank a beer between 7 p.m. on June 5 and 12:30 p.m. on June 6, with increasingly short intervals between the shots, the report stated. On June 6, he was unable to have his scheduled meeting with his PCP, who, upon learning of his condition, sent him for emergency care.
His blood alcohol level was documented to be three times the legal limit to drive in Minnesota.
When medical officials offered to keep him at the facility to address issues stemming from alcohol withdrawal, the man reportedly said he “would rather go home and continue to drink,” according to the department’s investigation.
The man, who throughout his life has suffered from homelessness and addiction, pushed back against the claims and said the facility had been life-changing for him.
“I haven’t been neglected. They’re actually taking care of me, treating me like a king,” he told FOX 9. “I haven’t taken a drop. So this place has helped me do that. I’m getting my life in order.”
The facility is not facing any criminal charges at this time and tells PEOPLE in a statement that several of its residents arrive at the facility “via adult protection as extreme alcoholics whom no other assisted living home would accept due to their condition.”
“We accept extreme care cases and have success stories of residents becoming drug and alcohol free since moving into our facility, and we are very proud of the success of our residents,” reads part of the statement.
“When a resident requires assistance due to a physical or functional limitation, staff may assist them in accessing or pouring their own alcohol in accordance with their individualized care plan, resident rights, and facility policies,” the statement said. “Our staff are not providing alcohol to residents; they are assisting residents with alcohol that belongs to the resident, just as they assist with other activities of daily living.”
Citing Minnesota laws, the facility said in its statement, “competent adult residents have the right to make lawful personal choices, including whether to consume alcohol. That includes the right to make decisions we may not agree with or recommend, including excessive drinking. Our responsibility is not to make those decisions for residents, but to educate them about the risks, assess their health and safety, monitor for concerns, and respond appropriately when intervention is needed. If a resident’s condition requires medical evaluation or emergency care, we take the appropriate steps to ensure their safety, including arranging transport to the emergency department when necessary.”
If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse, please contact the SAMHSA helpline at 1-800-662-HELP.
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