A group of California skilled nursing facilities operated by Paksn Inc. has “systematically” failed to meet state minimums for direct patient care and staffing, according to a state court class action.Maryann N. Valentine says Vacaville, Calif.-based Paksn, Thekkek Health Services, and seven nursing homes and licensees owned by Antony and Prema Thekkek have continuously failed to provide 3.2 hours of daily, direct nursing care to each patient as mandated by Cal. Health & Safety Code § 1276.5.
The complaint in the Alameda County Superior Court asks the court to hold the defendants liable for up to $500 per violation and treble damages because the infractions involve senior citizens and disabled people.
Valentine filed suit as guardian of her ex-husband, George E. Valentine II, 61, who suffered a brain injury and has “extremely limited” mobility. He has lived at Gateway Rehabilitation & Care Center in Hayward, Calif., since 2000, she says.
According to the suit, the level of care that Valentine receives faltered when the defendants acquired Gateway in 2003. Since that time, the facility routinely has failed to meet the state minimum for direct nursing care hours and maintains an inadequate number of nurses on staff.
George Valentine has experienced infrequent and painful turning and repositioning that resulted in pressure sores, and also has experienced infrequent assistance with toileting, frequent urinary tract infections and unsanitary living conditions, the suit asserts.
The facility has also failed to provide Valentine with necessary fluids or assistance with grooming, bathing and eating, and has failed to respond to his medical and dental problems and falls, the complaint says.
Other California facilities owned by the Thekkeks and operated by Paksn have provided similarly deficient care since 2006, according to the suit.
Full Article and Source:
Patients Suffer Sub-Par Care at California Facilities, Class Action Says
5 comments:
I am so pleased to see these class action suits against nursing homes!
I hope the word gets out to all California victims so they can all join in.
Thanks for posting this.
The Owners of the Heartland of Hillsboro OHIO nursing home And, your Social Worker there....I hope you read the "CA Class Action Suit: Patients Suffer Sub-Par Care at CA Facilities!"
Heartland of Hillsboro Ohio, you need to understand, Suits will soon be filed all over the U.S. because of the Sub-Par Care in facilities. Note there are pictures, tape recordings and witness's of my Mother's negligent care at Your facility. If you think for one minute you and the guardian have bullied me into submission and silence by withholding visitations of seeing my Mother for over three years you are sorely wrong... I have not forgotten the physical and mental abuse,and negligence you allowed to happen to my dear Mother. The time is near when we will meet again in a court room, and, this time my Mother will be defended by honest, upstanding citizens of Hillsboro Ohio And, the Nation will be Watching!
There are far more sub-par care facilities than reports would lead one to believe. The Area Agency on Aging and other groups and individuals in the system cover up the problems.
If facilities were fined for these gross errors, they'd straighten up.
If they were closed after a determined set amount of violations, they'd really straighten up.
Something's got to be done because nursing homes don't get any better year to year.
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