New Mexico Governor Highlights Need for Improvement in Elderly Care Facilities
NEW MEXICO – According to KRQE Over the weekend, the New Mexico Department of Health conducted unannounced inspections at more than 90 elderly care facilities across the state, revealing significant deficiencies in care standards. Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham addressed the findings in a news conference on Wednesday morning.
Governor Lujan Grisham noted that the COVID-19 pandemic had disrupted efforts to enforce care standards, with many interactions taking place virtually through window visits and phone calls. As the state resumes in-person evaluations, she acknowledged that staffing shortages and inadequate personal aides and certified nurse aides have exacerbated issues in these high-risk environments.
From May 17, a team of 42 inspectors visited long-term care, assisted living facilities, and nursing homes statewide, using questionnaires to assess basic care standards. Cabinet Secretary Patrick Allen of the New Mexico Department of Health described the survey as focusing on fundamental aspects of care, such as menu postings, hygiene, and activity availability.
The inspection covered 91 facilities across 13 counties—about a third of the state’s total—focusing on locations with prior complaints. The results were troubling: nearly 90% of the facilities failed some aspect of the survey. Specific issues included unhygienic conditions, unclean environments, substandard food, and lack of required signage. Five facilities, including three in Albuquerque, failed completely, while 12 achieved perfect scores.
Governor Lujan Grisham emphasized the importance of meeting federal care standards, which require facilities to provide a higher quality of care than individuals would receive at home. She expressed concern that New Mexico’s facilities largely fall short of this standard.
Notably, serious issues were found at two Albuquerque facilities. Morada Albuquerque briefly lost a resident, and Las Palomas Center left a resident in soiled clothes for 12 hours. Regulatory agencies have been contacted to address these problems.
The governor pledged to improve care quality across the state, stating, “Expect the state to be very engaged and to hold facilities and bad actors accountable.” She urged anyone experiencing problems to report them to the state at (866) 451-2901.
Additionally, Lujan Grisham called for increased volunteer support and ombudsmen to handle complaints. The state’s newly established Healthcare Authority, previously the Human Services Department, will continue conducting unannounced inspections to ensure better care standards are met.
