OHIO Sex offenders tallied in nursing homes

Many committed sex crimes in their 60s and 70s.
CINCINNATI (AP) -- Ohio ranks third in the nation with 39 registered sexual offenders living in nursing homes where they can pose a risk to other residents, an advocacy group for senior citizens said Sunday.
A survey by the disability and elder rights advocacy group A Perfect Cause said at least 289 nursing homes in 37 states are home to 380 registered sex offenders. Ohio ranked third with 39 offenders living in 21 homes and three more offenders working in homes.
The study by the Oklahoma City-based group found that 40 percent of the registered sex offenders in nursing homes are under age 60 and many of the older offenders also had committed crimes in their 60s and 70s.
"The argument that they're all old and decrepit and they can't hurt anybody any more, that just went out the window," said Wes Bledsoe, president of A Perfect Cause.
How research was done
The study was done by comparing the addresses of sex offenders registered with law-enforcement agencies in 37 states to nursing home addresses.
Ohio nursing home laws have no requirements for care and supervision of paroled offenders, but they do stipulate that facilities accepting patients with behavioral and mental problems must have specially trained staff.
"They're responsible for keeping everyone safe," said Beverly Laubert, the state ombudsman for nursing home residents.
Laubert said she knows of no cases involving sex offenders in Ohio nursing homes.
The three registered sex offenders found working in Ohio homes may have been hired before 1998, before the state began requiring criminal background checks for employees, she said.
Filling beds
Nursing homes in Ohio, which average about 80 percent occupancy, are looking to fill their beds, Laubert said. Laubert said her agency has met several times in the past six months with prison, mental health and nursing home officials to open lines of communication on the issue.
Laubert said nursing homes must notify other residents and their families of the presence of registered sex offenders designated as "sexual predators."
In Dayton, the Sanctuary at Whispering Meadows has one registered sex offender as a resident. Officials there said he is closely watched and has caused no problems.