Former employees urge Pulaski County to investigate Alzheimer’s center, allege safety and management failures
Loading...
Summary
Former employees Kristen and Jeff Mounts told the Pulaski County Fiscal Court the county-supported Pulaski County Alzheimer’s Center has systemic management failures — incomplete background checks, missing training, dietary and medication lapses, absent thermometers and repeated client elopements — and asked the court to assist, a request the court said it would consider.
Kristen Mounts, who identified herself at the start of her remarks as a recent former employee of the Pulaski County Alzheimer’s Center, told the Pulaski County Fiscal Court that the county-supported dementia care facility has multiple operational and safety problems and asked officials for help. “I’m standing before you this morning as an advocate for the clients,” Mounts said.
Mounts and her husband, Jeff Mounts, listed specific failures they said were occurring at the center: new hires were not getting criminal background checks; staff training — including HIPAA and CPR — was not being completed; staff had posted client photos to social media after families asked that pictures not be taken; dietary restrictions for clients with diabetes and lactose intolerance were not being followed; the center had gone without a working client thermometer for more than two months; and two clients had left the facility multiple times the prior day. “Just yesterday, 2 clients got out 5 times,” Mounts said.
Those allegations, if substantiated, would concern a facility that Mounts described as a county-funded dementia center serving vulnerable residents. Mounts said she and her husband had contacted more than two dozen organizations and officials — including the county attorney and state agencies — before appearing at the court; she urged the court to assist in resolving the issues.
Presiding court officials responded they would take the comment under consideration. “We will take that under consideration,” the presiding official said, and also noted, “I know you’ve talked to me about it, so we'll... discuss that.” The transcript records no formal directive or vote from the court to open an investigation during the meeting.
The court did not announce any immediate follow-up timeline or staff assignment at the meeting. The public comment stands as the formal request recorded on the minutes; county staff or officials would need to confirm whether the specific allegations were investigated and what remedial steps, if any, are taken.
