The California Department of Public Health is fining the Tustin Care Center $50,000 for a resident's choking death. The patient died last March because he choked while having lunch.
The California nursing home reportedly saw that the patient was becoming weaker but still let him eat regular meals without assistance. State health officials say the assisted living facility neglected to properly evaluate the resident's eating abilities and that this was a direct cause of his death.
Autopsy findings show that the food had completely blocked the resident's trachea. He had been eating rice and soup.
California nursing homes are supposed to make sure that they are familiar with each resident's diet and feeding needs. While some residents can eat different kinds of foods and feed themselves on their own, other patients may have health issues that require that their food and drink be strictly monitored. Some patients may have lost the ability to feed themselves on their own. They may need help placing the food in their mouths or their food may need to be ground up or turned into liquid so that they don't choke.
Nursing homes are required to carefully monitor residents' feeding plans and revise them as needed. It is also important that regardless of a resident's physical or mental issues the patient get the nutrition he or she needs and is properly hydrated.
In the event that a nursing home neglects to properly care for a resident and the patient ends up losing too much weight, suffering from malnutrition or dehydration, gets sick, chokes, or dies, you need to contact an Orange County, California nursing home neglect law firm about your case.
Our Anaheim nursing home negligence lawyers know how frustrating it can be to entrust the care of your loved one to a California assisted living facility only to find out that your family member would have been better off not staying at the nursing home. Orange County, California nursing homes can be held liable for personal injury or wrongful death.
Tustin nursing home fined $50,000 by state, The Sacramento Bee, July 29, 2009
Nursing home fined $50,000 in choking death, OC Register, July 28, 2009
Related Web Resources:
California Department of Public Health
