Articles Posted in Assisted Living Facilities

by

When Sean Suh’s grandmother was admitted to a residential care facility he wanted to make sure she was being watched at all times. To do that, he installed a camera at her bedside that recorded his grandmother 24/7. The camera wasn’t hidden, and frequently when Ms. Suh would visit his grandmother, he would find the camera unplugged. After finding his camera unplugged one too many times, he decided he needed to find his grandmother a new place to live. She died before he could move her out.

When Mr. Suh looked at some of the footage his “Grannycam” captured he was stunned. The video showed his grandmother being lifted off the floor and thrown hard into her wheelchair. Then, it appears, a caregiver tips the wheelchair all the way back and violently shakes the elderly woman.

Watch:

Continue reading

by

At Walton Law Firm, we have handled numerous cases involving decubitus ulcers or bed sores, many of them resulting in the death of the patient. But the cases we handle are civil cases; a prosecution of the nursing home or other caregiver to seek money damages. We have never seen any caregiver prosecuted criminally for such neglect.

090903_jean_rudolph.jpgIn Washington State, however, the owner of an assisted living facility and an employee were charged with crimes for the neglect of Jean Rudolph, who died under their care. When Rudolph died in 2008 at the age of 87, she weighed only 68 pounds. The cause of death was related to infections that were caused by bed sores so severe that they exposed her bones, including a hip sore so severe that her hip bone jutted out of her body.

Her son, who visited her twice a week, never knew of the sores. His mother suffered from end-stage dementia and couldn’t speak or express her needs, and each time the son visited she was always under covers.

Continue reading

by

If you considering using the services of a residential care facility for the elderly or an assisted living facility, you may be wondering how to select a good one. Unfortunately, there is no rating system like you might find in hospitals, and now nursing homes, but there are actions you can take that will help ensure you make the right choice.

The California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) have created a checklist to use when researching care facilities for the elderly. First and foremost, evaluate the most recent inspection report from the California Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing (DSS). Your local DSS office will have a complete inspection file on every facility within its jurisdiction, and you have a right to review. Simply contact the office and make an appointment to go review the file. (Click here to find your local DSS office).

When reviewing the file, you want to make sure to examine:

Continue reading

by

If you or a loved one is being threatened by eviction from your assisted living facility (or residential care facility), it is important to know that the law is on your side. Under the California Code of Regulations, an assisted living resident can be eviction for only five reasons:

1. A failure to pay rent within 10 days of its due date;

2. Failing to comply with state or local law (e.g. using illegal drugs, assault/battery, etc);

Continue reading

by

On a fairly regular basis I get telephone calls asking for a recommendation to a “good” nursing home or assisted living facility. I have to refrain from answering, because though I have brought legal actions against many nursing homes for abuse and neglect, I also know there are plenty of homes out there that can provide good care. I just don’t know who they are.

Today I met with someone who does. Lise Marquis, with A Place For Mom (www.aplaceformom.com), explained to me all the considerations in finding the right placement for an elderly loved one. A Place for Mom provides consultations for senior housing and care options, and has literally hundreds of options including skilled nursing facilities, assisted living, Alzheimer’s and dementia care, respite care, and board and care homes. And get this, the service is free.

In addition to providing options for housing, Lise can also provide resources for financing, therapy services, and legal services if those aspects of care are needed.

Continue reading

by

SANTA BARBARA – Sheriffs have arrested a 35-year-old man in the alleged rape of a 36-year-old developmentally disabled woman. Christopher Coates was arrested last Wednesday and is being held on $100,000 bail.

According to new accounts, Coates was a caregiver at a residential care facility in Santa Barbara County (the name has not been released) in June when police received information from an employee, who told police that the victim had complained of being sexually assaulted. An investigation led to the arrest of Coates, who lives in Goleta, and who was no longer employed at the facility at the time of his arrest.

Under California law, the facility could be held responsible for the sexual assault upon the disable adult. California’s Elder Abuse Act applies equally to “dependent adults,” who are defined as individuals between the ages of 18 and 64, and who reside in a custodial care facility.

Continue reading

by

Unlike nursing homes, residential care facilities or assisted living facilities are not subject to the same regulation and government oversight. One can’t simply log on to the myriad of nursing home evaluation websites to look at the latest inspection reports or complaint investigation. So how do you adequately evaluate a residential care facility before moving in?

The California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform provide many excellent resources for individuals and families making the tough choices about custodial care, including an evaluation checklist for those considering residential care:

Review Complaint and Inspection Information: The local office of the California Department of Social Services will have information about the latest government inspection and complaint investigations. Unlike skilled nursing facilities, residential care facilities are only inspected every five years so the information may not be fresh. Pay particular attention to any violations of resident’s rights or abuse allegations.

Continue reading

by

The Ombudsman Services of Northern California, an organization dedicated to creating a corps of compassionate advocates for residents in long-term care facilities believes that state budget cuts to its ombudsman program will lead directly to an increase in cases of elder abuse and neglect.

This year the organization, which tracks approximately 1,600 nursing homes and assisted-living facilities, lost two-thirds of its staff due to shortfalls in the state budget. According to Joan Parks, nursing facilities are already taking advantage of the lack of oversight.

“Our monitoring in these homes was seen as a form of prevention,” Parks said.

Continue reading

by

Residential care facilities for the elderly are a largely unregulated in California. Despite the fact that they house more than 100,000 Californians, many with limited mobility, there is currently no requirement that they maintain disaster readiness plan other than a one-page disaster plan. That soon may change.

Last week the California State Senate voted to support a bill promoted by Assemblywoman Lois Wolk that would require care facilities for the elderly to prepare for emergencies such as natural disasters or power outages. Wolk’s bill requires a comprehensive plan for emergencies that enables a facility to be totally self-reliant for at least 72 hours. It would also require that the disaster plan be available for viewing by residents and local fire and police.

The bill, labeled AB 749, will be heard by the appropriations committee before debate on the assembly floor.

by

Residential care facilities for the elderly (RCFE), or assisted living facilities, are typically board and care homes for individuals age 60 or older who can no longer live by themselves, but do not need 24-hour nursing care. Typically, a RCFE will provide a bed, all meals, and assistance with certain daily activities such as bathing, dressing, meals, and with medication distribution. The residents, however, must be able to take their own medications.

RCFEs and assisted living facilities are licensed by the State of California, and are limited under the code of regulations to the type of care they can provide. In addition, each facility must undergo periodic inspections by the Department of Social Services.

It is important to point out that RCFEs are not permitted to provide medical care. As a result, individuals with certain medical conditions may not be admitted or retained by a residential care facility. A few of those conditions include, but are not limited to, bed sores of a Stage III or larger, or people who require tube feedings. Other conditions are restricted and may not be permitted, such as individuals who require catheters or colostomies. RCFEs may admit people who suffer from dementia, but only after meeting certain regulatory requirements. Always check for the facility’s written plan for caring for individuals with memory impairment.

Continue reading
Justia Lawyer Rating
Super Lawyers
BBB Rating A+
Avvo Rating 10.0
Elder Justice Advocates
Consumer Attorneys California
AV Preeminent badge
Contact Information
North County Office
950 Boardwalk
#304
San Marcos, CA 92078
Toll Free: 866.607.1325 Local: 760.571.5500 Fax: 760.571.5501
San Diego Office
2169 1st Ave
San Diego, CA 92101
Toll Free: 866.607.1325

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

Please do not include any confidential or sensitive information in a contact form, text message, or voicemail. The contact form sends information by non-encrypted email, which is not secure. Submitting a contact form, sending a text message, making a phone call, or leaving a voicemail does not create an attorney-client relationship.

Copyright © 2026, Walton Law Firm
JUSTIA Law Firm Blog Design