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9 Investigates: Allegations of poor care at senior living facility in Charlotte

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A Channel 9 Investigation into a senior living company is expanding. We told you about fire safety issues at Mint Hill Senior Living all summer long and similar issues at another Affinity Living Group facility in Hickory.

Now, state leaders revealed serious allegations of poor care at a Charlotte location and another Affinity Living Group facility in Tyrrell County, North Carolina.

Affinity Living Group is responsible for the care of a lot of people. They operate 17-facilities in the Charlotte area.

An 187-page report from state health inspectors published in July cites several violations at the Charlotte facility called East Towne.

The document said the facility failed to assure proper staffing to meet the needs of residents and put them in substantial risk for harm and neglect.

Inspectors said the facility on North Sharon Amity Road failed to give personal care assistance to two residents.

They said one woman underwent a total knee replacement surgery this summer, but she told inspectors, "Every time I ring the call bell for assistance, no staff would come to help me."  She also reported wetting her diaper and sitting in urine until staff helped.

"The number of staff in the facility is one of the key issues,” Julian Montoro-Rodriguez, a UNCC professor of gerontology, said. “If you don't have proper staff you may not provide person centered care to every resident."

[ALSO READ: State lawmaker pushing to protect seniors in assisted living facilities from major price hikes]

The state suspended admissions at East Towne and another Affinity owned facility in Tyrrell County for similar reasons.  Both facilities are operating under a provisional license.

A spokesman for Affinity Living Group sent an email that said:

“We look at each of these isolated incidents as an opportunity to further improve and enhance the care provided to our residents. We devote significant management resources to ensure that communities under our management meet and exceed state regulatory standards. We have been working--and continue to work--diligently and cooperatively with state regulators, and we trust that our aggressive and continuing corrective actions at these communities will promptly and efficiently resolve any alleged issues.”