A recent Facebook post highlighting a case of alleged neglect at the Oak Hill senior care center in Waterloo circulated last week, with an investigation into the matter ongoing.

Mary Elizabeth, who is originally from Smithton but currently lives in St. Louis, shared the post last week in Facebook group The Columbians, a page for general discussion among local residents.

In the post, Elizabeth said her stepfather – who has resided at Oak Hill since late March 2022 – was recently sent to an area hospital with a case of pneumonia for the second time in nearly months.

She further described the “neglect” her stepfather had experienced at the facility, sharing an image along with her post.

The image showed her stepfather’s lower legs, with his feet significantly swollen and his ankles bruised and severely constricted, with damage being especially pronounced on his left foot and ankle.

The damage is seemingly due to bandages wrapped around the resident’s ankles – a common practice to help assist with circulation and neuropathy in individuals with diabetes.

In a later interview, Elizabeth confirmed that her stepfather does have diabetes, and the wraps were a recent addition to his care as he has previously used compression socks.

Elizabeth also said that, though the image was certainly somewhat jarring, she felt that it was something worth posting in order to get attention on the matter, particularly as the community has a great affinity for the care facility.

“I also know that people in town love and talk well of Oak Hill, and it’s really nice, it’s so clean, and that gives them a big trust factor,” Elizabeth said. “And I’m scared for other people too, of course, so I wanted people to know.”

She further said of the ankle-wrap incident that her mother noticed the tight wrappings sometime before Elizabeth’s stepfather was sent to the hospital, though when she brought this matter up to Oak Hill staff, there wasn’t any real response.

According to Elizabeth, the family has had other issues at Oak Hill in the past – chiefly regarding her stepfather’s hygienic care.

Elizabeth said her mother has had to change his diaper and clean him almost every time she comes to visit him. This infrequent cleaning his been a problem for some time, she claims, with staff addressing and improving the matter when it’s brought to their attention – only to lapse back after a while.

Elizabeth explained that along with diabetes, her stepfather also suffers from Alzheimer’s, and he is often non-verbal or simply says he’s “fine” when asked if he needs anything, which has posed a problem with both hygiene and ankle wrap matters.

While Oak Hill Director Shari Kruep did not respond to requests for comment, Monroe County Commissioner Dennis Knobloch, who helps oversee the county-owned facility, said the situation is being looked into.

“I’ve been in contact with the administrator of the home, and there are conversations with the family of this individual, and we’re also checking into if there is the possibility of any negligence there,” Knobloch said.

Elizabeth said she is hoping to speak with Oak Hill staff, with a meeting planned for sometime this week.

She emphasized that while any issues with care need to be addressed, she hopes not to cause too much trouble for the facility, further expressing her gratitude for what they do for seniors.

Should Oak Hill require additional funding or staffing to improve its quality of care, Elizabeth said she would be very happy to see the facility get the support it needs.

“Hopefully this will have a happy memory for the whole doggone place,” Elizabeth said. “But something’s gotta be solved somewhere.”