Abuse of Elderly Patient at Nursing Home Disturbing

Christina Cole

Contributor

0 CommentsPrint ArticleSubscribe

A nursing home assistant is in jail after State Police say he put a pillow over an elderly man's face and repeatedly punched him.

47-year-old Andrew Thompson of Fort Edward, a certified nurse assistant, will not be able to work with the elderly anytime in the foreseeable future. Thompson is in jail after State Police charged him with abusing 85-year-old Fabian Vega, an Alzheimer's patient.

State Police confirm the accusations of an angry son, who spoke with NEWS10's John Craig about the abuse his father endured at a Washington County Nursing Home.

"And he put a pillow over his head, over his face, and he punched him a few times with a closed fist through the pillow," says State Police PIO, Trooper Maureen Tuffey.

Police say on Monday night Thompson became angry with the man and grabbed a pillow. An aide saw, got a supervisor and that woman stopped it. Thompson was sent home, suspended from work on Tuesday and arrested Wednesday.

Richard Vega said it took them until Wednesday to find out what really had occurred. "In my opinion, they were trying to hide something," Richard says. The facility administrator calls it an "isolated incident."

Richard Vega, who has hired an attorney, says an aide told him she had seen abuse in the past, but feared she would lose her job if she reported it.

Thompson is in the Washington County Jail. Bail is set at 50-thousand dollars cash or 100-thousand dollar bond. He is due back in court on Wednesday.