California's State Health and Human Services says that an elderly resident who was initially reported to have had a fatal heart attack while staying at the Anaheim Crest Nursing Center in fact died because he choked while eating a tuna sandwich. The state is accusing Anaheim Crest Nursing Center of not reporting the sandwich incident until after the corner determined that the patient died from a choking incident.
The resident, who had dementia, was only supposed be eat pureed foods. An attorney for the Anaheim nursing home, however, says that the long-term care facility did not know that the resident had taken a sandwich from a food tray and eaten it.
State documents report that the resident had two choking incidents on September 9, 2008. The first time, the nursing home staff accidentally gave him the wrong food even though it was known that he had swallowing difficulties. The second incident happened later in the evening when the elderly resident was left alone close to a food cart. He reportedly choked on his sandwich and died within an hour. Workers at the nursing home are accused of failing to attempt to clear his throat, not providing him with emergency care, and neglecting to check him for aspiration. Now, the state is fining the Southern California nursing home $75,000 over the incident.
Although this is the Anaheim nursing home's first fine in four years, the long-term care facility was accused by the state in 2003 of giving drugs unnecessarily to eight patients. Several years ago, the Anaheim Crest Nursing Center received warnings for unsanitary food conditions, failing to properly secure the doors, and failing to have a Korean speaker at the facility even though many of its residents could only speak Korean.
Nursing Home Negligence
Southern California nursing homes are supposed to provide residents, especially those with specialized needs, with the proper care and attention. When nursing neglect, carelessness, or recklessness leads to patients sustaining injuries or dying, the nursing home resident or his or her family may have grounds for filing an Anaheim nursing home abuse/neglect lawsuit.
Anaheim nursing home faces $75,000 fine in choking death, OC Register.com, February 25, 2009
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Please contact our Anaheim nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers at Howard Nassiri to explore your legal options. We are committed to making sure that nursing home victims and their families receive financial recovery for their California personal injuries.
