Families concerned about mold at nursing home

[Guest guest]

Families concerned about mold at nursing home

WNYT - Albany,NY*

By: Matt McFarland

http://wnyt.com/article/stories/S338659.shtml?cat=300

COLONIE - Family members of those living at the Albany County

Nursing Home say a mold problem there is a health threat.

So they're teaming up with a county legislator to call on the county

to start monitoring the air.

The family members claim the mold is such a big problem inside the

county's nursing home -- filled with more than 270 residents -- that

one unit needed to be closed down. They say the county is not doing

enough for those living and working there.

" Have you ever been in a dark, damp cellar? That's what it smells

like. It's awful, " said June Maniscalco, whose mother-in-law lives

in the home.

Members of the nursing home's family council have been trying to

raise a stink about the smell. They've taken pictures of leaky

ceiling tiles and of some of the repair work being done.

Layne's 74-year-old mother is suffering from Alzheimer's

disease and lives in the home. Because of the mold, Layne and others

want the county to have the air inside the building tested.

" Needless to say, if there are that many mold spores in the air,

where you can smell them, it's a horrible smell, you would think

they would have to do the air quality test to see whether or not

it's dangerous to our resident's health, " Layne said.

The group says they've been told by the county that based on

studies, air monitoring during mold removal is not useful.

We tried to go ask the nursing home's executive director himself,

but were turned away by security and told he was busy.

" The best and easiest thing to do is an air quality test and I don't

understand why the county is not stepping up to the plate, " Albany

County Legislator Benedict said.

Benedict is putting forth a resolution asking the county to test air

throughout the building. She and the family members say test results

would show either that there are problems or that no health risks

exits.

" If they can approve it for the courthouse, other buildings,

schools, why can't they approve it here? " Layne wondered.

Albany County is expected to discuss with concerned family members

how it intends to deal with mold issue Wednesday night.

Benedict says no matter what the recommendation is, she'll introduce

legislation pushing for the independent air monitoring on Monday.