Nursing Home & Elder Abuse

• Three Arrested In Nursing Home Deaths

  Chrissie Cole | February 20, 2009 10:26 AM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Three former nursing home managers have been arrested in the deaths of three residents who allegedly were given needless doses of medication including Zyprexa, Risperdal and others. The state...

• Money Talks - Elder Abuse is not Always Physical

  Clayton Kent | November 17, 2008 5:57 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  The less talked about side of elder abuse isn't related to physical abuse. Seniors can be an easy target for investors looking to pad their own bank accounts. Caregivers, utilizing their position of...

• Veterans Home to be Investigated Amidst Complaints of Elder Abuse

  Clayton Kent | September 04, 2007 5:29 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  State Senator Pat Wiggins, D-Santa Rosa, has successfully called for an investigation of the California Veterans Home in Yountville as a result of a large number of complaints from residents and veteran residents of the facility. This investigation called for by the Senator is to focus on the medical care provided by the facility to the residents, including staffing issues. Many of the...

• Many Pleasant Care Facilities Sell at Auction, Despite History of Nursing Home Violations

  Laura Blatt | July 20, 2007 11:26 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Twenty-one California nursing homes owned by the bankrupt Pleasant Care Corp. were sold at auction earlier this month, despite their history of violations and substandard care. The buyers included LifeHouse Retirement Properties, Bina Bhatia and HC Management."You won't see any cutbacks in care, although there might be changes made to improve efficiency," said the CEO of LifeHouse, Lou...

• Pleasant Care Bankrupt After Numerous Nursing Home Violations and Fines

  Laura Blatt | June 29, 2007 12:23 AM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Last week, I wrote about Emmanuel Health Care, a California nursing home that was fined $80,000 in the death of one of its residents. Now, its parent corporation, Pleasant Care Corporation, is selling 30 California nursing homes, including Emmanuel, as part of a bankruptcy proceeding (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 23, 2007). The auction will take place this coming Monday and Tuesday, July 2 and...

• Elder Abuse: Nursing Home Neglect Is a Widespread Problem

  Laura Blatt | June 28, 2007 6:21 PM | 1 CommentNovato, CA

  A nursing home is guilty of neglect when it fails to fulfill its duties to its residents. These obligations can range from providing special diets to taking a frail, elderly person to the toilet at appropriate times. Refusing to answer a resident's page or failing to call his or her doctor may also be neglect. A bedridden nursing home resident should be repositioned at least every two hours to...

• Nursing Home Violations: California Nursing Home Fined for Death of Resident

  Laura Blatt | June 21, 2007 5:51 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Emmanuel Health Care Center, a nursing home in Norwalk, California, was fined $80,000 for its role in the death of a 54-year-old resident almost two years ago. The man had fallen and hurt his head, but the nursing home staff did not call his doctor until a full day had passed. At that time, he was transferred to a hospital, where he died from his injuries."If somebody died because of neglect,...

• Bill Would Speed Up California Nursing Home Complaint Investigations

  Laura Blatt | June 18, 2007 6:40 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Many California consumer groups are supporting AB 399, a state bill that would require nursing home complaint investigations to be completed within 40 days, and ensure that those who file the complaints receive a written summary of the findings. The proposed legislation would also give the complainant 15 business days, rather than the current 5 business days, in which to request an informal...

• Nursing Home Abuses: Oversight of California Nursing Homes

  Laura Blatt | June 05, 2007 11:23 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  A recent state audit criticized the California Department of Health Services (DHS) for not doing an adequate job of overseeing the quality of nursing homes. Some DHS employees overlooked or underestimated nursing home violations, the audit said. Also, the timing of inspections was quite predictable, so it was too easy for a nursing home to prepare for the visit and hide deficiencies.The DHS...

• Nursing Home Abuse: Finding Out About California Nursing Home Violations

  Laura Blatt | June 01, 2007 6:51 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  When it comes to quality care for the elderly, California nursing homes have a mixed record. Some deliver good service, but too many have been cited for serious deficiencies. In 2005 alone, for example, the California Department of Health Services (DHS) received 21,388 complaints, and this may be an understatement of the problem.Wouldn't it be helpful to know about a nursing home's history of...