LOWVILLE — The state Department of Health is investigating a complaint by a former worker at an adult home here that a resident was abused.

A call was made in late March to the department's Adult Home Complaint Hotline about alleged abuse at the East Road Adult Home in the town of Lowville, and an investigator conducted a site visit April 15, according to Beth Goldberg, a DOH spokeswoman in Albany. However, she was unable to provide further details, since the investigation is ongoing with no specific timetable for completion.

"It's really too soon to find out what the result will be," Ms. Goldberg said.

In a statement provided to the state investigator and the Times, complainant Tina M. Lavery — who recently resigned after working seven months at East Road Adult Home — alleged that owner James W. Schlieder kicked the feet of a male resident who had fallen and yelled at him to get up. She also alleged that Mr. Schlieder had, on a prior occasion, pushed the same resident against the stairs and that some incidents were not documented.

Mr. Schlieder said he is confident the investigator will find the claims unfounded, suggesting they were made by a disgruntled worker who had been written up various times for confidentiality and personnel policy violations.

"The documentation we have provided the state is truthful," he said.

Anybody has the right to lodge a complaint, and state officials are obligated to look into any such claims, Mr. Schlieder said.

"A disgruntled employee making a complaint is identical to a computer hacker inventing a virus that will destroy your computer," he said. "There's nothing anyone can do about it."

Ms. Lavery said she was just looking out for the residents, not acting disgruntled, when she called the hotline and that she had decided to leave her position only so she could begin training as a registered nurse assistant. She also suggested she was only written up once, for a medication issue.

Joanne B. Doney, who serves as the facility's ombudsman through Lewis County Office for the Aging, said she has visited East Road Adult Home 20 to 25 times over the past year and knows most of the residents personally but has never heard of any abuse.

"I have never once heard any of the residents complain about the staff or Jim Schlieder," said Mrs. Doney, a former county legislator. "I think it's a good place. They take good care of people. I have only good things to say about East Road Adult Home."