CAYCE, S.C. — The operators of a Cayce assisted living facility that became the center of a death investigation have announced their intent to reopen.
The South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) reports that Twilite Manor Adult Residential Care indicated this week that it hoped to reopen its facility as early as Monday, March 14.
As part of that process, however, facility operators had to submit a plan of correction based on DHEC findings from February.
The facility was first closed after a resident, 69-year-old Timothy Frank Catalano, was found dead by Cayce Police who began their own investigation and moved to have all residents relocated due to safety concerns. The coroner later reported that Catalano had severe pneumonia.
Police claimed in their initial reports that the other residents of the facility had not eaten or received any medications since the night before.
However, in their plan for correction, one administrator suggested the investigation actually delayed both processes.
An administrator for the facility admitted that staff did not arrive on time but said that when backup staff did show up, they were not being allowed to perform their duties by police.
To correct the initial problem of staff not being timely, the administration plans to have staff report if they would be late - at least 30 minutes before scheduled times and "staff will be inserviced on the staffing schedule."
The administrator also claimed that she was not allowed to provide medications to residents upon arrival due to the police investigation.
"When they did allow me, I gave medication to all clients who the police had not put on transportation," the administrator said.
However, the person still vowed corrective action by having all staff trained and required to give medication.
The last point claimed that all residents at the facility were given breakfast on the morning of the investigation and residents were also provided lunch "in lite of all that was happening."
However, the facility also vowed to make sure that residents receive their meals at the posted times, adding that staff would have backups and adding that one staff member lives only five minutes away from the facility.
The overnight staff will also prepare the meals to assist the morning staff who will be required to provide the meals between 8 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
This correctional plan was approved on March 1 and an onsite inspection of the facility was carried out on Friday to "verify compliance with regulatory requirements." These include ensuring adequate food supply and staffing.
DHEC said it would release the findings of this visit once become available.
DHEC said that the Department of Social Services would have the latest information on the conditions of those who were taken from the facility and that residents can return to Twilite Manor if they so choose when it reopens.