Alzheimer Patient Attack: Suit Filed Against Arvada Nursing Home

ARVADA, CO – An elderly woman with dementia was beaten in an Arvada memory care facility by a staff member, and the facility staff lied about the incident, the family alleges in a lawsuit.

Former employee Gwendolyn Kentris, a former employee of Ralston Creek Neighborhood's assisted living community is accused of injuring Karlene O'Brien, 79, in an incident in March that sent O'Brien to the hospital with broken bones in both hands, a black eye and abrasions on her face, knees and arm, Denver Channel 7 reported.

The television station reported that a warrant was issued in Jefferson County for Kentris, who is no longer working at Ralston Creek.

Kentris reportedly told police she had to restrain O'Brien because she was "one of the worst patients… who was usually fighting and biting," but she allegedly denied the abuse, although other employees said they heard Kentris yelling and swearing at O'Brien and O'Brien calling out "help me!" and "She's going to kill me!"

Robert O'Brien, Karlene's husband, told Channel7 he had cared for his wife since her dementia diagnosis ten years ago, and had finally placed her into a memory care facility. He said staff lied about how his wife was injured, saying she struck herself in the face with a coat hanger, but Robert knew that couldn't be true when he saw the injuries in the hospital.

"She was as badly beaten as anybody I've ever seen," Robert said. "I thought she had been scratched on the face, punched in the mouth... had a black eye... so punched in the eye. She had broken bones in both hands."

The nursing home kicked O'Brien out after the incident, and her family filed a lawsuit in Jefferson County District Court in April, the station reported.

Read Channel7's investigation here.

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