California Injury Lawyers Blog

According to numerous studies, more than 50% of assisted living facility residents are anemic. This deficiency, which involves low hemoglobin levels, is by no means a normal condition of getting older. Granted, chronic inflammatory disease, rheumatoid arthritis, chronic kidney disease, intestinal bleeding, and nutritional deficiencies among the elderly increases the chances that they can become anemic. However, there is much that can be done to diagnose and treat nursing home patients suffering from anemia--even when they are suffering from unexplained anemia.

In Orange County, California nursing homes, elderly persons are at higher risk of developing anemia because they are less mobile and more physically frail. The weaker a patient becomes, the more likely he/she will become anemic.

Signs that someone is suffering from anemia:

• Weaker grip strength
• Slowing down of physical movement
• Decrease in overall strength
• Weight loss
• Fatigue
• Dizziness
• Weakness
• Pale skin
• Chest pain
• Brittle nails
• Breathing problems
• Cold extremities
• Depression
• Irregular heartbeat

It is important that nursing home workers document any possible signs of anemia so that a proper diagnosis is made and the correct treatment is administered. Tests can be performed to determine whether someone is anemic.

There is no reason why your loved one's health or sense of well-being should suffer from a deficiency, illness, or injury that can be easily treated. You may be able to file an Orange County, California nursing home negligence lawsuit if a facility (or its nursing home workers) did not provide the necessary nursing care that the you or your loved one needed.

While most anemia cases are mild, they can still lead to a decrease physical endurance, fatigue, and the reduction of oxygen being circulated through the blood. If you are an older person who is already suffering from numerous ailments, developing anemia will only make you feel worse.

Anemia is Common for Elderly Residents in Long-Term Care Facilities, National Anemia Action Counsel

Related Web Resources:
Anemia - Complications, HealthCentral.com

The California Nursing Home Guide

Continue reading "Preventing Orange County, California Nursing Home Negligence: With 50% of Long-Term Care Patients Suffering from Anemia, Long-Term Care Facilities Should Properly Diagnose and Treat this Deficiency" »

According to data released by Medicare, over 250,000 nursing home residents are living in assisted living facilities that have once again, within a one-year period, received a "poor" rating for overall quality. The ratings are based on complaint investigations, nursing home inspections, and other information that were compiled mostly over the last two years.

USA Today reports that it is not uncommon for nursing homes to garner poor ratings from one year to the next. These facilities can be found in California, the rest of the US states, and the District of Columbia. Sometimes, these assisted facilities are the only ones that exist for miles, which doesn't leave patients and their families with many other nursing homes options. The facilities that scored the worst ratings each had an average of 14 deficiencies.

According to investigators, for-profit nursing homes are often the ones that receive the lowest rankings for performance. Meantime, the General Accountability Office says that while the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service designates up to 136 nursing homes as "special focus facilities" that have to undergo more inspections, up to 580 US assisted living facilities can fall under the category of the worst nursing homes in the country.

Orange County, California Nursing Home Negligence
Our Anaheim nursing home neglect and abuse lawyers are aware that there are nursing home residents in Los Angeles County, Riverside County, San Bernardino County, and Orange County, California that have suffered injuries or died because they were abused or neglected by a nursing home worker. Many incidents of nursing home abuse and neglect occur in facilities where the quality of care is poor or the workers are inadequately trained.

If you notice that your loved one who is staying at an Orange County, California nursing home is emotional agitated, withdrawn, depressed, or has rapidly lost weight or seems frightened for no reason or doesn't want to have visitors, your loved one may be a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect.

Analysis: Poor ratings persist for 1 in 5 U.S. nursing homes, USA Today, January 28, 2010

GAO: Four percent of nursing homes are troubled, Healthjournalism.org, September 28, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Service

Government Accountability Office

American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging

National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform

Continue reading "One in Five US Nursing Homes Consistently Earn "Poor" Ratings for Overall Quality, Says Medicare " »

The preliminary hearing has been scheduled for March 10 in the criminal case against three nursing home officials who are charged with California elder abuse related to the chemical restraint deaths of three patients. Gwen Hughes, Dr. Hoshang Pormir, and Pamela Ott have pleaded not guilty to the criminal charges. If convicted, they each could spend up to 11 years in prison.

The California nursing home abuse incidents allegedly took place at the Kern Valley Nursing Home in California from 2003 to 2007. Gwen Hughes, who served as the nursing home's director, is accused ordering the use of antipsychotic drugs to chemically restrain patients who complained or were annoying.

According to California Attorney General Jerry Brown, Hughes had one nursing home patient drugged for throwing a milk carton. She allegedly ordered that another person be chemically restrained for glaring at her. A couple of the patients were reportedly held down against their will while they were sedated. Several nursing patients who were chemically restrained became incredibly thin or dehydrated.

Hughes was previously fired at another California nursing home for over-drugging.

Nursing Home Abuse
Unfortunately, over-drugging is a common problem at nursing homes. While there are definitely patients who need to take antipsychotics as part of their medical care--about one in four nursing home patients is given antipsychotics--others are given the powerful drug solely as a chemical restraint. According to the Food and Drug Administration, about 15,000 nursing home deaths a year are a result of unnecessary antipsychotics.

A report from the United Kingdom revealed that up to 1,620 strokes and 1,800 fatalities involving elderly dementia patients can be linked to antipsychotic drugs. About 180,000 elderly people with dementia are treated with these powerful drugs in the UK and, per the report, only about 36,000 appear to have benefited from the medication.

Restraining a nursing home patient so that they will be quiet or behave is a form of Orange County, California nursing home abuse.

3 Nursing Home Patients Killed by 'Chemical Restraints', ABC News, January 5, 2009

Attorney General Charges Nursing Home Drugging is Assault with a Deadly Weapon, CANHR.org

Chemical restraints killing dementia patients, Guardian.co.uk, November 12, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes, Nolo

California Attorney General

Continue reading "Use of Unnecessary Chemical Restraints on Patients Can Be Grounds for Orange County, California Nursing Negligence Lawsuit and Criminal Charges" »

Maria Arellano, a 71-year-old assisted living facility patient, became the victim of California nursing home abuse when a nursing worker assaulted her in 2006. Videotaped footage shot with a hidden camera show Monica Garcia dragging the elderly stroke victim by her hair, slapping her, bending her wrists, fingers, and neck, and violently handling her.

Prior to taping the abuse, Arellano's family members complained to the Fillmore Convalescent Center that she had unexplained bruises on her body. The nursing home allegedly failed to investigate, which prompted her relatives to look for evidence. Garcia would go on to plead no contest to the simple battery charge.

Earlier this month, a California jury awarded Arellano and her family $7.75 million for California elder abuse. The award consists of $2.75 M in damages and $5 M in punitive damages. The nursing home was held 40% liable, its owner, Eduardo Gonzales, was held 40% liable, and Garcia was found 20% liable.

Now, the California nursing home's lawyer says his client will combat the multimillion-dollar verdict. He claims that the family waited a number of months before reporting their abuse concerns and that the assisted living facility fired Garcia the moment they found out about it.

Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing homes cannot afford to ignore allegations of abuse, neglect, or assault. In California nursing homes and in long-term care facilities throughout the US, there have been too many incidents involving resident victims that have been abused or neglected by nursing home workers or other residents.

Physical assault, sexual assault, and other abusive actions are violent acts that can cause great harm to the victims--especially if they are nursing home patients who are already sick or frail. Family members shouldn't have to come up with their own evidence to stop nursing home abuse from happening.

There are steps that a California nursing home should be taking to prevent abuse and neglect from happening. There are actions that family members of a nursing home patient can take to obtain compensation for the harm their loved one has suffered.

Fillmore Convalescent Center to fight $7.75 million abuse verdict, VCStar.com, December 28, 2009

$7.75 Million lawsuit settled with Fillmore Convalescent Center, Fillmore Gazette, December 23, 2009

Related Web Resources:
California Department of Public Health

The Ca Nursing Home Guide

In California, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has signed into law AB 1457. Under the new law, nursing homes are required to reveal the name and contact data of the persons responsible for facility operations and for a patient's care. If an assisted living facility changes ownership, the nursing home is required to notify residents and their primary contacts.

With 1,200 nursing homes and 14,000 residential care settings, California is the state with the the most long-term care providers. According to the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, in 2007 94% of for-profit California nursing homes were cited for federal health and safety standards violations.

Nursing home negligence and abuse continue to be issues of concern California and the rest of the US. Many patients housed in assisted living facilities either end up becoming more ill or dying because of nursing home neglect or they sustain injuries caused by nursing home abuse, nursing home violence, nursing home sexual assault, or other negligent or abusive acts.

Nursing home abuse and neglect may consist of:

• Physical assault
• Rape
• Molestation
• Battery
• Unreasonable physical restraints
• Drugging a patient to control them
• Placing a patient in isolation without just cause
• Threatening a patient
• Verbal abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Intimidation
• Fear
• Financial exploitation
• Medical neglect
• Forcing a patient to live in unsanitary or dangerous conditions
• Ignoring a patient's calls for help
• Starving a patient or not giving him or her water or other liquids
• Not changing a patient's bedsheets or clothing
• Not bathing a patient

A nursing home can be held liable for Orange County, California nursing home negligence. While there are steps that you can take to ensure that your loved one is admitted into an assisted living facility where he or she can get the proper care, unfortunately there are nursing homes where patients do become the victims of abuse or neglect despite the family's best efforts.

It is important that you remove your loved one from any abusive situation immediately and speak with our Anaheim nursing home abuse and neglect law firm about your case.

New law imposes stricter transparency requirements on California nursing homes, McKnight's, October 14, 2009

Governor Schwarzenegger Signs Legislation to Ensure Quality Care in Nursing Homes, California Chronicle, October 13, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Nursing Home Guide, California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform

AB 1457 Bill Analysis, Sen.Ca.Gov

Police in San Bernardino County, California have arrested Pensri Sophar Dalton. The 61-year-old nursing home resident is accused of running an illegal group home and committing elder abuse by allowing 22 mentally ill and disabled patients to live in squalid, prison-like conditions.

The residents allegedly were made to live in converted chicken coops and small rooms containing multiple beds. Their toilets consisted of buckets. Padlocked gates and razor wire fences surrounded the facility.

Dalton has been charged with 16 counts of inflicting harm on elderly persons. The illegal elder abuse facility, which reportedly was not licensed, has been shut down.

According to the Press-Enterprise, Dalton was recently sued for wrongful death in a San Bernardino County elder abuse lawsuit filed by the family of a 71-year-old man who died in a swimming pool at a Highland facility that she owns. The patient, Eucevio Hernandez Vallez, suffered from dementia, was an alcoholic, and had a hard time walking because of his hip fracture.

Even though the elder facility was told not to give Vallez alcohol, the staff is accused of let him drink and walk close to the unfenced pool. There was reportedly uneven concrete surrounding the pool. According to the San Bernardino County wrongful death lawsuit, on February 12, a worker at the assisted living facility reportedly saw Vallez go into the backyard but failed to supervise or stop him.

Vallez was discovered face down in the pool the following day. The coroner's office reported that the resident died from drowning after falling into the pool while the influence of alcohol. The defendants have submitted a court-filed response disputing the charges.

Patients at any California elder care facility are entitled to a certain quality of care and a certain level of attention. They also have rights that exist to protect them and make sure that they are treated properly. Failure to supervise a resident, forcing patients to live in unsanitary or unsafe conditions, not following instructions for a patient's care, failing to provide patients who are mentally ill with more hands-on attention, overmedication, failure to treat or medicate a patient, and mistreating a resident are some of the reasons why families file San Bernardino County nursing home abuse lawsuits against negligent elder care facilities.

San Bernardino group home owner already named in wrongful death lawsuit, The Press -Enterprise, September 6, 2009

Alleged elder abuse in San Bernardino, ABC Local, September 5, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Elder Abuse in Nursing Homes

San Bernardino Facilities, California Nursing Homes

Continue reading "Owner of Illegal Group Home in San Bernardino County Accused of Elder Abuse " »

Leaving your loved one at a nursing home is never easy, and our Orange County, California nursing home negligence attorneys are aware that you may undoubtedly have concerns about your loved one's well-being and care--especially with the number of stories appearing in the news these days about nursing home abuse and neglect incidents occurring in assisted living facilities throughout the US.

While it is impossible to guarantee your loved one's safety and quality of care, there are steps that you can take when choosing a Southern California nursing home, whether the facility is located in Irvine, Laguna, Huntington Beach, Newport Beach, Manhattan Beach, or elsewhere in Orange County, California.

Checking different Web sites that offer reviews about California nursing homes, as well as Medicare's Nursing Home Compare Web site, is a helpful and informative step. However, nothing beats actually going to a nursing home facility to inspect the premises, watch the interactions between residents and nursing staff, and interview workers.

Not only do you want to make sure that your loved one will be comfortable at the nursing home you select, but you want to do what you can to make sure the facility is sanitary, the workers know how to do their jobs properly, and there are no unresolved violations at the assisted living facility that could pose a possible threat to your loved one's health and well-being.

What to look for when you visit an Orange County, California nursing home:

• Location: Is the nursing home close enough so that you and/or other loved ones can make in-person visits to your relative?
• Find out about the number of nursing home residents there are at the facility compared to the number of nursing home workers. Does it seem like each patient gets enough personalized attention? Inquire as to whether each patient is allotted a specific amount of care hours.
• Check the bathrooms, bedrooms, and recreational areas. Are they clean? Do they appear comfortable?
• Visit the dining room and kitchen. Do the conditions appear sanitary? What does the food look like? How is food stored and prepared?
• Inquire as to whether each patient gets a customized care plan and a personalized dietary plan.
• Observe the interactions between nursing home workers and residents.
• Talk to nursing home staff. Are they accessible, available, and forthcoming with responses to questions you may have?
• Do the residents appear happy and relaxed or stressed out and afraid?

Of course, taking every precaution possible when choosing a California nursing home for your sick or elderly loved one won't guarantee that that he or she won't become a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect.

Related Web Resources:
Nursing Home Compare, Medicare

Your Guide to Long-Term Care in California, California Healthcare Foundation

Anaheim, Orange County

Continue reading "Carefully Choosing An Orange County, California Assisted Living Facility May Decrease the Chances of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect" »

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

California Healthcare Foundation

In California, a jury awarded a nursing home resident almost $1.3 million over injuries she sustained while staying at the Leisure Palms nursing home. Stinson is an Alzheimer's patient who was recovering from hip surgery when she fell at the California nursing home on December 31, 2006. She was 82-years-old when the fall accident happened and it took 10 months for her to recover.

Her California nursing home neglect lawsuit contended that she broke her ribs, punctured a lung, and sustained a head contusion when she fell. Her complaint accused the assisted living facility of failing to properly train staff members and neglecting to provide her with the care that she needed when the nursing home knew she was a fall risk and had a tendency to wander.

Stinson claims she fell three times while staying at the California long-term care facility. Following the fall accident on December 31, 2006, she says staffers did not notify her family or doctor that she got hurt and she wasn't provided any medical care until her husband came to visit the next day and saw that she was unresponsive.

The California nursing home neglect verdict awards Stinson $88,000 for past medical costs, $750,000 in punitive damages, and $500,000 in general damages.

While there is no guarantee that a California nursing home will provide a resident with the proper care, there are steps that you can take to possibly decrease the chances of abuse or neglect. One way to do this is to visit the assisted living facility, talk to staff members, check out the facilities, and watch residents interact with the nurses.

You can also check out the Medicare Nursing Home Compare Web site to find out how a particular California nursing home rates compared to others in the area. That said, the federal ratings Web site is earning mixed reviews from consumer groups and industry members that are questioning how accurate of a picture the 5-star rating system can actually convey of the care provided at each facility, so you may not want to solely rely on this resource to assess the care a loved one might receive at a California assisted living facility.

Despite a loved one's best efforts, nursing home neglect and abuse does happen in California assisted living facilities. Our Orange County, California nursing home abuse law firm knows how important it is to remove your loved one from a dangerous living situation the moment you suspect that he or she is the victim of abuse or neglect.

Elder Neglect Lawsuit Verdict of $1.3M Against California Nursing Home, AboutLawsuits.com, July 10, 2009

Nursing-Home Ratings Earn Mixed Reviews, Washington Post, July 14, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Nursing Home Compare

Finding the right nursing home, step by step, Today/MSNBC, March 19, 2009

In a scam that involved 42 suspects allegedly bilking California's Medi-Cal system of nearly $4.6 million, the lives of young, disabled persons were placed at risk by the "professional" caregivers that were hired to take care of them. Many of these professional nurses were in fact unlicensed. The alleged fraud scheme is believed to have taken place between 2004 to 2007. On Thursday, 22 people were arrested for their alleged involvement in the fraud scheme.

Staff members from Medcare Plus Home Health Providers were hired to go to private homes and take care of disabled children and young adults. Services these nursing workers were supposed to perform included giving patients medications, taking care of feeding tubes, and adjusting ventilators. The people that hired them thought they were retaining the professional services of licensed vocational nurses, when in fact many of these workers did not have medical training or received their training abroad but were not licensed to practice nursing in the US.

These unlicensed "professionals" treated some 75 patients. Many of the patients were kids with developmental disabilities or cerebral palsy. Fortunately, none of the patients appear to have suffered life-threatening injuries from the inadequate care they received.

US Attorney Thomas O'Brien says this is the largest single case of alleged Medi-Cal fraud that has ever been filed in California.

Nursing Negligence
Unfortunately, incidents of Orange County, California nursing negligence occur not only in Southern California nursing homes but also in private residences. If your loved one was injured because a professional caregiver or a private nurse was abusive or negligent, you may have grounds for filing a California nursing negligence lawsuit.

Examples of Caregiver Negligence:
• Elder financial abuse
• Physical abuse
• Verbal abuse
• Ignoring a patient's cries for help
• Failure to protect patient from fall accidents
• Failure to treat bedsores
• Failure to properly administer medication
• Failure to follow doctor's instructions for patient care

The reason that sick, disabled, or elderly people require the help of nursing professionals is because they can't take care of themselves or their medical needs alone. A nursing home professional is in breach of that duty of care if he or she cannot provide a patient with a certain quality of care or is negligent or causes injury or harm.

California charges 42 in home nursing scam, UPI.com, July 9, 2009

20 arrested in Medi-Cal fraud targeting disabled patients, Los Angeles Times, July 9, 2009

Related Web Resources:
Medi-Cal

When Caregivers Harm: Problem Nurses Stay on the Job as Patients Suffer, Los Angeles Times/Pro Publica, July 11, 2009

Continue reading "California Nursing Neglect: Medi-Cal Scam Exposes Unlicensed Nurses that Cared for Disabled Patients" »

The California Department of Public Health has fined a Southern California nursing home $100,000 because of a patient's death from a preventable fall. The resident, who was admitted to the Aviara Healthcare Center for physical therapy after undergoing hip surgery, was involved in two fall accidents over a 24-hour period in May.

The first time he fell, the patient did not get hurt. Nursing home workers placed an alarm on his gown. Yet no one responded when the resident climbed out of bed and entered the hallway. There was no handrail on the wall in that area. The resident stumbled, grabbing onto a mechanical lift. This is a large device used to lift patients out of their beds.

The California Department of Public Health says the resident fell to the ground, dragging the equipment with him and striking his head on the lift's metal frame. He was transported to a hospital where he died on May 13. Cause of death was blunt-force trauma.

According to several employees at the California nursing home, the lift should have been in a shower room and not in the hallway. Yet a state health investigator that went to the long-term facility after the man's fall-related death found the lift in the same place where it had been when the patient got hurt. Department of Public Health director Dr. Mark Horton said that a state investigation determined that the failure to properly store the mechanical lift contributed to the resident's death. Not only was the lift improperly stored, but the wheels were not locked.

In addition to the $100,000 fine--the maximum penalty that California law allows, Aviara Healthcare Center received an "AA" citation. The state also fined the Southern California nursing home $16,000 because it failed to properly monitor a patient that was able to wander away from the long-term care facility a number of times over a 9-hour period.

Fall Accidents and the Elderly
Fall accidents can be especially dangerous for sick or elderly people. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one of the leading causes of death and nonfatal injuries requiring hospitalization among older adults is falls. In 2000, 46% of fatal falls involved older adults that sustained traumatic brain injuries.

California nursing home workers are supposed to make sure that patients don't get hurt in fall accidents. Prevention measures may include installing handrails in areas where elderly or physically weak patients may need to go unassisted, ensuring there are no wet substances or objects on the ground that a patient might slip on or trip over, carefully monitoring patients that have a tendency to wander off without supervision, and physically assisting patients that need help getting around.

Failure to implement the proper measures to prevent fall accidents can be grounds for a Orange County, California nursing home negligence lawsuit if a resident is injured or dies as a result.

Maximum Fine Issued in Rehab Center Patient's Death, Occupational Health & Safety, June 26, 2009

State fines nursing home $100,000 in patient's fall, SignonSanDiego.com, June 23, 2009

Falls Among Older Adults: An Overview, CDC

Related Web Resources:
Preventing slip and fall accidents in nursing homes and long-term care facilities, ZurichServices, March 2008

California Department of Public Health

Continue reading "Southern California Nursing Home Fined for Patient's Death from a Preventable Fall Accident" »

In Orange County, California, state officials have fined a Los Alamitos nursing home and a Huntington Beach nursing long-term care facility for patient deaths. Alamitos West Health Care Center was fined $100,000 and Huntington Valley Healthcare Center was told to pay $80,000.

According to the California Department of Public Health, the Los Alamitos nursing home neglected to provide an 82-year-old female resident with sufficient fluids. This led to her suffering from acute kidney failure, dehydration, a urinary tract infection, an "altered mental" state, and eventually death. She stayed at the Orange County, California nursing home for less than two months.

A doctor reportedly told the home to monitor the elderly resident's fluid consumption and urine on a regular basis, but there is no evidence to indicate that workers followed these directions. The Los Alamitos nursing home plans to appeal the fine.

The state imposed a fine against the Huntington Beach nursing home after the nursing home's administrator reported that a registered nurse supervisor chose not to call 911 while a patient was dying. The nurse supervisor believed that the resident had a "do not resuscitate" orders. However, the patient's records contained an advance directive form requesting CPR in the event of an emergency.

A licensed vocational nurse reportedly contacted a family member to report the resident's death. The relative was also notified that paramedics were never contacted. The family member told the nurse to contact 911 immediately. The patient no longer had a heartbeat by the time the paramedics arrived at the Huntington Beach nursing home.

Negligent Nursing Care
It is critical that nursing home workers follow the care directives provided for each nursing home resident. When negligent nursing care leads to injuries or deaths, the nursing home can be held liable for Orange County, California nursing home neglect.

Examples of negligent nursing care include:

• Failure to clean bedsores
• Failure to properly administer medications
• Failure to follow a patient's care plan
• Failure to properly supervise a resident
• Failure to give a patient enough fluids
• Failure to follow medical instructions
• Failure to follow the patient's dietary plan or feeding directions
• Failure to prevent fall accidents from happening
• Failure to prevent patient from wandering

2 Orange County nursing homes fined for patient deaths, Los Angeles Times, June 11, 2009

State fines O.C. nursing homes more than $200,000 in deaths, OC Register, June 10, 2009

Related Web Resources:
California Department of Health

Nursing Home Compare

Continue reading "State Fines Two Orange County, California Nursing Homes for Resident Deaths" »

Continue reading "Two California Nursing Homes Are Fined for Negligent Care Resulting in Patients' Choking Deaths" »

Continue reading "Anaheim Nursing Center Fined $75,000 for Elderly California Resident's Choking Death " »