Troy nursing home aide accused of sexually abusing 78-year-old patient

A 52-year-old Middleburgh man who worked at a Troy nursing home has been charged by the Attorney General's office for sexually abusing a 78-year-old patient.

Robert Gundersen, a nurse aide at the Northwoods Rehabilitation Center, is charged with felony sex abuse, misdemeanor forcible touching and misdemeanor third-degree sex abuse for the incidents, alleged to have taken place at the center between Dec. 15, 2007 and Jan. 7, 2008.

Gundersen is already facing sex abuse charges from his employment at another area nursing home.

In this latest case, Gundersen is accused of sexually abusing a physically helpless female patient at Northwoods, located on New Turnpike Road in the Schaghticoke area of Troy.

Gundersen would allegedly touch the breasts and vaginal areas of the elderly patient in the evening hours, according to an indictment from AG Andrew Cuomo's office.

Gundersen is already facing third-degree sex abuse charges based on an incident alleged to have taken place between August and September 2008 while he was working at Eddy Ford Nursing Home in Cohoes.

In that case, Gundersen allegedly forcibly French-kissed a younger female wheelchair-bound patient with multiple sclerosis. The case is expected to go to court May 28th.

The charges against Gundersen are part of Cuomo's ongoing investigation and crackdown on health care provider abuse, which includes hidden-camera investigations at nursing homes across the state, according to his office.

Over 70 nursing home employees have been arrested or convicted as a result of Cuomo's investigations, his office added.