Fort Worth Nursing Home Investigated For Housing Criminals Who Don’t Require Care

A Lake Worth nursing home is facing controversy and a state investigation because of the high number of sex offenders, past criminals, and parolees that live in the adult care facilities. Some worry that the number of criminals and convicted sex offenders are a danger to other nursing home patients and to those in the surrounding areas, while others wonder whether the nursing home is taking in able residents in order to collect Medicaid reimbursements.
According to the Star-Telegram, the Lake Worth Nursing home currently houses an estimated 27 sex offenders – plus a number of other felons and parolees. A nursing home investigation by a local news channel revealed that many of these residents don’t seem to need daily nursing care and can often be seen walking around the neighborhood or running errands. They also point out that the Texas nursing home, which has been taking in former criminals for the past five years, has received $4.5 million in the past three years.
The nursing home itself points to its five-star rating under the Medicare rating system and adds that as the prison population ages, more and more elderly criminals and sex offenders are going to need care no matter what their backgrounds. They also stressed that they keep their sex offender patients in a separate wing of the home.