Legacy halts admissions, citing need for local staff – County 17

The Lasting Legacy and Rehabilitation Center </p>” data-image-meta=”{"aperture":"0","credit":"","camera":"","caption":"","created_timestamp":"0","copyright":"","focal_length":"0","iso":"0","shutter_speed":"0","title":"","orientation":"0"}” data-image-title=”Screen Shot 2020-06-16 at 5.00.00 PM” data-large-file=”https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?fit=780%2C512&ssl=1″ data-medium-file=”https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?fit=300%2C197&ssl=1″ data-orig-file=”https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?fit=1831%2C1202&ssl=1″ data-orig-size=”1831,1202″ data-permalink=”https://county17.com/2020/06/16/gov-okays-outdoor-visits-for-long-term-care-facilities-lasting-legacy-on-pause/screen-shot-2020-06-16-at-5-00-00-pm/” decoding=”async” fetchpriority=”high” height=”512″ sizes=”(max-width: 780px) 100vw, 780px” src=”https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?fit=780%2C512&ssl=1″ srcset=”https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?w=1831&ssl=1 1831w, https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?resize=300%2C197&ssl=1 300w, https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?resize=1024%2C672&ssl=1 1024w, https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?resize=768%2C504&ssl=1 768w, https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?resize=1536%2C1008&ssl=1 1536w, https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?resize=600%2C394&ssl=1 600w, https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?fit=780%2C512&ssl=1&w=370 370w, https://i0.wp.com/county17.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Screen-Shot-2020-06-16-at-5.00.00-PM.png?fit=780%2C512&ssl=1&w=400 400w” width=”780″>

GILLETTE, Wyo. — Stating a need to hire locally based staff over temporary contract employees, the Legacy Living and Rehabilitation Center has announced it is pausing new admissions. 

The announcement comes on the heels of recent reports of at least one former contract employee — 57-year-old Bernard D. Hale — being charged with manslaughter for reportedly failing to provide adequate care, resulting in the death of 88-year-old Legacy resident Judith Duvall. 

“Our staff and administration have cooperated fully with law enforcement and Department of Health investigations into this matter, including providing all requested logs, video recordings, and records so a full investigation of this incident occurs,” the Legacy said in a recent release, adding that the cooperation will continue at every level. 

The facility also stated it is unable to provide further comment due to the ongoing investigation.

Campbell County court documents say Hale was the Certified Nursing Assistant charged with caring for Duvall and other Memory Care Wing residents in the Legacy’s Cottonwood Unit. 

While Hale was supposed to be watching her, Duvall walked out of the facility into an exposed courtyard around 6:51 p.m. Jan. 9, where she ultimately fell and struggled to get back up for 20 minutes before she stopped moving at 7:33 p.m., court documents say. 

Duvall reportedly remained outside in the courtyard for several hours until her body was discovered by a staff member at 4:08 a.m. the following day. The temperature while she was outside ranged from 24 to 10 degrees with a windchill in the single digits, per the affidavit.

Per court records, Hale made 15 false entries on her chart earlier in the evening, claiming he saw her performing various tasks, all while she was outside in the courtyard. He also allegedly failed to properly check if anyone was outside after responding to a door alarm set off by Duvall’s exit. 

Hale was arrested and charged after investigators determined he failed to follow proper Legacy procedures and the accepted standard of care for Duvall, court documents state.