Lakeside Park assisted living facility advertises: “Lakeside Park in Oakland is a nationally recognized community providing the highest level of assisted living for families and elders living with dementia.”
Resident Elinor Frerichs might not agree. Elinor’s family and friends report that Lakeside Park prevented Elinor having visitors and phone calls for the past year. Elder advocates recently confirmed that Elinor is confined and isolated. That isolation is in violation of California’s licensing regulations. It also constitutes criminal elder abuse as specified in Penal Code 368.
On September 16, 2014, Coalition for Elder & Dependent Adult Rights filed the following complaint with Community Care Licensing.
"Pam Gill, Regional Manager
Eastbay Delta Adult and Senior Care Regional Office
Community Care Licensing Division
Department of Social Services
1515 Clay Street, Suite 310, MS 29-21
Oakland, CA 94612
Telephone: (510) 286-4201;
FAX: (510) 286-4204
“pam.gill@dss.ca.gov"
Dear Ms. Gill,
Please accept this letter as a second complaint of elder abuse and violations of licensing regulations at Lakeside Park at 468 Perkins Street in Oakland, CA (RCFE License #015601384).
Chronology
On September 5, 2014, Dr. Robert Fettgather (408-371-6239) and I went to Lakeside Park and asked to visit resident Elinor Frerichs. Executive Director Cheryl Martin stated that Elinor was taking a nap and did not wish to see us. I asked if we could wait in the lobby for Elinor to wake from her nap. Ms. Martin ordered us to leave the facility. I stated that I would call Oakland Police Department for a welfare check, which I proceeded to do.
About twenty minutes later, Ms. Martin enthusiastically invited us back into the facility. She stated that that Elinor was awake from her nap and wished to visit with us. Ms. Martin required that we conduct our visit in her office where she could observe the visit and listen to the conversation.
On September 7, 2014, I went to Lakeside Park to visit with resident Elinor Frerichs. Richard Calhoun (408-926-0365) and two elder advocates from the Congress of California Seniors accompanied me. The front door to the facility was locked. We rang for entry, but staff ignored us for about five minutes. Another person arrived and also rang for entry. Lakeside Park Administrative Assistant Roxie Stevenson came to the door allowed the other person to enter. Then Ms. Stevenson rudely told us that Elinor was way from the facility. We asked if we could wait in the lobby for Elinor to return. Ms. Stevenson refused to allow us into the building...."
Full Article and Source:
Elder Abuse at Lakeside Park in Oakland: Resident Denied Visits and Phone Calls
Has the facility been sanctioned? I hope so.
ReplyDeleteThe facility should have been given a warning and then if they continued to isolate Elinor Frerrichs, then the facility should have been fined heavily. Three strikes and they should be out.
ReplyDeleteIf they're isolating her, who else are they isolating?