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October 30th, 2013
11:43 PM ET

Outrage after nursing home patients were left to fend for themselves

Criminal charges could be filed against the owners of a California nursing home. On the day the state shut down the facility, most of the staff walked off the job. They left 14 elderly patients behind, and no arrangements were made to move them elsewhere. Three employees stayed behind to help the abandoned patients. Stephanie Elam has been digging into this story.

 
Filed under: Stephanie Elam
soundoff (3 Responses)
  1. Avis Anderson

    This is outrageous! My mother is 97 and is in a nursing home. As we age or become enabled, we will need others to fiend for us. As an advocate for those who need care, I always say to those who are employed in the care-giving business and do not exude a sense of caring and responsibility: "None of us know in what condition we will end up before we leave this life. Ponder this statement carefully and change how you approach your duties. Whatever your profession/career, perform it well."
    However, there are many wonderful, caring, individuals in the business, and I have met many where my mother resides. Thus, let us support their struggle to receive appropriate recognition, compensation, and respect.

    Please keep us abreast of this story. Why was the nursing home shut down so abruptly? Why did the state not allow and facilitate the transfer of patients before it closed the home?

    November 6, 2013 at 9:06 am |
  2. Kathleen Mears

    I have read today 11/02/2013 that this was an assisted-living facility. As a 64-year-old, female, incomplete quadriplegic who has lived in nursing homes for over 17 years, I would like to know whether it was in nursing homes or an assisted-living facility.

    In most states the regulations for assisted-living facilities are not as stringent as those for nursing homes.

    Nevertheless, this whole situation was horrible. I feel so badly for those residents and their family members. I agree that the owners are at fault and California's Department of Social Services.

    November 2, 2013 at 2:43 pm |
  3. Chris

    Definitely the state's fault. You can't just shut down a nursing home and expect the staff to stay there for no pay, even though it was heartless of the employees to just walk out like that. The owners bear a lot of the blame due to the conditions at the facility but DSS screwed this up badly.

    November 1, 2013 at 12:42 pm |

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