AMSTERDAM - Complaints that staff members at the Mount Loretto Nursing Home abused and mocked residents of the private facility resulted, in part, in a fine of $77,610 levied by the state Department of Health.

A January Department of Health investigation found several incidents of widespread deficiencies that DOH said could result in immediate jeopardy for the residents. The 120-bed nursing home on Swart High Road fared better in a July investigation, which found isolated incidents of less-serious deficiencies.

The facility had 46 standard health violations over the last three years, compared with a statewide average of 17. Mount Loretto also had 14 deficiencies related to actual or immediate harm. The statewide average is one. According to the report, Mount Loretto officials fired the staff members guilty of the abuse.

DOH levied the $77,610 fine against the facility several months ago. Mount Loretto Administrator Christina Trombley said the facility underwent a slew of changes following the January investigation and is running things very differently now.

"There were many changes that happened at [the time of the investigation]," she said. "We took many actions, and there were a lot of changes in management."

In the survey, state Department of Health investigators interviewed an employee who said she saw two other employees mocking a resident suffering from Parkinson's disease by shaking and stuttering while providing care. Another resident said an employee had threatened to strangle her.

Several of the staff members blamed inadequate staffing levels for delays in care. Several residents told of times when they suffered from incontinence but were not tended to promptly. Others said they were not given their medications on time.

A staff member "stated that often there were only three [certified nursing assistants] on a unit and that she realized it was very difficult to provide quality care to the residents."

Other staff members told investigators the facility was chronically short-staffed because of high incidents of staff "burnout" and employees calling out sick. Staff members complained that "Chicago" controlled staffing levels at the facility without knowing how the facility works.

Mount Loretto is owned by the Sisters of the Resurrection and the Sisters of the Holy Family of Nazareth, two Chicago-based Roman Catholic organizations.

Trombley said the facility struggles with staffing levels, as do all health care providers.

"We are managing staffing every day, just like any nursing home," she said. "It's always an issue for everyone."