Nursing Home Violations: California Nursing Home Fined for Death of Resident
Posted by
Laura BlattJune 21, 2007 5:51 PMEmmanuel 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, the state should be acting far more swiftly to ensure that the facility took corrective action and to send a message that this kind of treatment won't be tolerated," said Michael Connors of the consumer group California Advocate for Nursing Home Reform (LA Times, June 21, 2007).
Pleasant Care Corp. owns Emmanuel Health Care Center and 29 other nursing homes. This is not the first time that the Pleasant Care chain has had a death due to negligent care, according to the LA Times. In 2003, a resident died in a Ukiah nursing home and in 2004, another died at a Novato nursing home. Last year, Pleasant Care settled a $1.3 million lawsuit brought by the state Attorney General alleging that the chain was negligent in caring for its residents.
Pleasant Care has filed for bankruptcy. A California Department of Health Services representative told the LA Times that the agency is monitoring all Pleasant Care facilities during this process.
Meanwhile, the web site for Emmanuel Health Care Center proudly proclaims that the nursing home delivers "quality care with reasonable rates." It states that the facility's mission is " to promote a family like practice of nursing care, and to deliver quality of care through a compassionate and friendly staff."
For more information on this subject, please refer to our section on Nursing Home and Elder Abuse.