Shaddock: “Serious, serious problem”
MONTICELLO – A “train wreck” is how Teamsters Local
445 Vice President Sandy Shaddock described living and working conditions
at the Sullivan County Adult Care Center in the Town of Liberty.
During Thursday’s County Legislature Health and Family Services
Committee, Shaddock delivered a strongly worded indictment of what she
claims is going on.
“You have serious, serious staffing deficiencies,” Shaddock
said. “There were 35 falls last month. These residents are suffering.
The staff are burned out. When they burned out from being mandated three
times in a row, they call out. When they call out, they are subject to
discipline. Then the people fall, they [staff] are subject to discipline.
You have a serious, serious problem.”
Shaddock said this creates a liability and potential cost for the county
because of possible worker compensation claims.
“Why were we not made aware of this” asked committee Chairperson
Cindy Kurpil Gieger.
“I don’t know,” replied Shaddock.
Acting Family Services Commissioner Joseph Todora was reserved in his
reserved in his response.
“I need to kind of take a look at it myself,” Todora said.
“I know that we’ve had problems in terms of filling some of
the shift work. We’ll take a look at the staffing requirements and
see what we need to do.”
Todora said after taking a close look there will be a “thoughtful”
response.
