Minnesota's Department of Health has accused an assisted living facility of neglecting a mentally ill resident by providing him with 18 shots of liquor in the 24 hours before a doctor's appointment.
According to an investigative report, Covered Bridge Assisted Living in Holdingford supplied resident Don Brambrink with a substantial amount of alcohol before his scheduled telehealth appointment, which he ultimately missed after drinking too much while fishing.
The facility's registered nurse reported that Brambrink was "dead to the world" after drinking while fishing, and further investigation revealed that staff had given him multiple shots of alcohol over the course of several hours.
The report detailed the timeline of Brambrink's alcohol consumption, which included 2 shots at 6:54 p.m., 2 shots at 8 p.m., and 2 shots at 9:20 p.m. the night before the appointment, followed by additional shots the morning of the appointment.
Brambrink's primary care physician requested that he be sent to the emergency room, but he refused, telling hospital staff that he "would rather go home and continue to drink."
Hospital staff were concerned about Brambrink's condition, as his blood alcohol level was at 0.23%, almost three times the legal limit of 0.08%. Brambrink had numerous mental health diagnoses, including psychoactive substance abuse and anxiety.
Covered Bridge's owner Trista Barstow defended her facility's actions, arguing that they are one of the few facilities that will take in "extreme alcoholics" and that monitoring them is a step in the right direction.
Barstow stated that her facility's policies and individualized care planning reflect their commitment to resident rights, safety, and compliance with Minnesota assisted living regulations.
The facility has announced plans to appeal the deficiency citation, citing the Minnesota Resident Bill of Rights, which grants residents the right to make lawful personal choices, including whether to consume alcohol.
The Minnesota Department of Health has yet to comment on the matter further.
