The original version of this complaint, sent 3.11.24 via snail mail to the local Area Agency On Aging (with additional copies sent over JPay to an Idaho Statesman reporter, the Idaho Prison Project and House Minority Speaker Ilana Rubel), lists the subject’s age at 72 and neglects to mention that he also takes insulin. The version presented here was sent to the Idaho Commission On Aging, although that version also omitted the mention of insulin. It is published here in accordance with the principles driving the Idaho Department of Correction’s (IDOC) new Day One Plus mentor program.
The Day One Plus organization is currently collaborating with IDOC staff and residents to implement a facility-wide customized mentor program to provide residents opportunities “for self-empowerment, education, and to advocate for themselves and their peers,” according to the application that I recently submitted to apply for a mentor position.
The Idaho Commission On Aging‘s website states that the commission “provides a secure Adult Protective Services (APS) online system for mandated reporters and financial institutions to report suspicions of abuse, neglect, self-neglect, and exploitation of vulnerable adults age 18 years and older.”
It also recommends for those who would like to make an anonymous report, “but are not a mandated reporter or financial institution,” to contact their local Area Agency On Aging.
The subject of this post is aware of its contents. He has granted permission for me to widely share this and other information as an advocate and journalist, for nothing in exchange. I have captured his consent on a Resident Concern Form, with the signature of unit staff representing my witness. That form is now working its way through facility mail to an IDOC public information officer.
Ed. – The subject resident’s full name was removed from this post due to privacy concerns.
To: Idaho Commission On Aging
[This message forwarded from a resident of Idaho State Correctional Institution on March 16th, 2024.]
3.11.24
To whom it may concern:
My name is Patrick Irving. I wish to file a complaint regarding the care of Kelly J. [last name redacted], a 69-year-old, partially paralyzed, diabetic amputee who currently resides at the Idaho State Correctional Institution (ISCI).
Mr. Kelly’s left leg is amputated at the thigh. His left arm is paralyzed and contorted in what I’m told is contracture. He claims to have had a stroke in 1999, and to receive diabetes medication in the form of pills once a day.
On February 27, I witnessed Mr. Kelly being pushed in his wheelchair into ISCI Unit 14B, where he was delivered to cell 4 with one plastic foam mattress, some bedding and clothing, and one medium-sized box of personal papers and property. Half of his bedding was brought in soiled in a plastic bag. He was left on the unit wearing white pants stained with blood and urine, one dirty large green t-shirt, and one shoe in good condition. His hair was long and unkempt, his stench was extremely thick, and the prisoner pushing him in indicated that it had been some time since he showered.
I am not a nurse. I have no caretaker training and my cell is not a handicap-accommodating cell.
I was given but few minutes notice to rearrange objects in my cell in such a way that his wheelchair would fit through the door and next to his bed. I had to move my personal locker directly in front of the toilet.
Due to Mr. Kelly’s physical condition, he was unable to move his mattress and property into his cell and make up his bed by himself. I assisted him by placing his mattress on his bunk, his property below it, and then throwing his clean sheets, blankets and pillow on his mattress.
Not only is the toilet in our cell now completely obstructed by a locker and his oxygen machine, it also lacks safety rails. To dump the plastic jug that he has been given to urinate in from his wheelchair and bed, Mr. Kelly must sit himself up, transfer himself to his wheelchair and wheel himself with his urine container to the unit’s community toilet. The same toilet, which lacks safety rails, is also where he must make his bowel movements.
Mr. Kelly’s bed lacks a handle or grip to help him sit up, and twice I have witnessed him bleeding after managing to sit up and dismount the bed himself. The first incident took place the week of his arrival, the second took place today and required a medical response.
The prison has hired an inmate worker to push Mr. Kelly to the cafeteria to pick up his meals to-go. But he frequently misses lunch as his hearing is impaired and it’s hard to hear the call for chow from our cell. When he returns with his meal from the cafeteria, he sometimes requires assistance opening juice cups, milk cartons, condiments, etc. The same worker pushes him to the prison medical building once a day to take his diabetes medications.
In addition to the wheelchair worker, the prison has hired an Inmate Support Person (ISP) to assist Mr. Kelly in basic living skills. The ISP, a fellow prisoner, was hired two days after the following Resident Concern Form, addressed to Warden Davis but responded to by Lt. Wilson, was returned sic:
Date: 2.21.24
Resident Name: Kelly J. [last name redacted] [IDOC number redacted]
Issue/Concern: ‘Mr. Davis, It has come to my atention through other inmates that Sgt. Zavala has issued a direct order demanding that no inmate is allowed to help me to get in or out of my bed or to change my beding even if I happen to accidentally soil myself. It has been told to me that Sgt. Zavala has made it clear that if any inmate attempts to help me in any way that she will give them a [Disciplinary Offense Report]. Warden Davis, as I am severily handicaped with the use of only one arm and the fact that I only have one leg will you please assign a staff member to help me or a qualified inmate to help me to do all of the human functions that I am not able to do?’
Reply [signed and dated 2.27.24 by Lt. Wilson]: ‘ISP workers do not assist in this regard.’
Note that Lt. Wilson responded the same day that Mr. Kelly was transferred to my cell.
The ISP has since appeared twice; once for an hour, once for 30 minutes. Neither time did he assist Mr. Kelly with a shower. Mr. Kelly’s physical condition renders him incapable of fully dressing and undressing himself. He cannot shower without minor assistance. I was the last person to assist him into the shower on Mar. 2 or Mar. 3.
On Feb. 29 or Mar. 1, I returned from school to find him attempting to exit our cell with his coat wrapped in the spokes of his wheelchair. Unlike other Idaho prison cells, ours does not have an emergency button. It also closes with a regular door that obstructs one’s view inside. I am uncertain of how long he was stuck.
In the time that he has lived on my unit, I have watched Mr. Kelly be wheeled multiple times a day through winter conditions with the waist of his pants falling off his nub, exposing him to weather.
On Mar. 9, Mr. Kelly reported feeling nauseous. I approached unit staff for a plastic bag or trashcan for him to vomit into. I reiterated this request multiple times over the next two days and was eventually informed by staff that they wouldn’t provide either.
On Mar. 11, Mr. Kelly woke me at 02:00 to help him sit up and refix the tube to his oxygen machine, which he was unable to reach from his bed or his wheelchair. I reported the incident and was told by staff that it isn’t necessary for me to continue assisting him. They repeated to me, to Mr. Kelly, and to our neighbor that he is faking his inability to perform basic tasks.
They also said that Mr. Kelly was previously held in the ISCI medical annex, but for reasons unexplained has been banned from ever returning.
Your concern is appreciated.
Patrick Irving 82431
ISCI
PO Box 14
Boise, ID 83707
Patrick I appreciate everything you do I cannot believe the conditions that i d o c puts human beings in karma will get them treating an elderly inmate that way is inhumane and I will do all I can to get this story out thank you for all you do Pat