LOS ANGELES, CA – Seven nursing homes in Southern California are facing the prospect of having their licenses suspended in connection with the deaths of residents, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The California Department of Public Health sent letters to the facilities in Los Angeles County that received at least two “AA violations in the past two years. These violations indicate a failure or oversight that contributed substantially to the death of a resident. The letters said the facilities would have their license suspended in 30 days from the sending date if they did not exercise their right to appeal.
Only 99 of these AA violations have been cited in the past five years for the over 1,200 skilled nursing facilities in California. The state can move to suspend or revoke a nursing home’s license once the facility gets two such violations within two years.
The Times report said the health department sent the letters to the following nursing homes: Ararat Nursing Facility in Mission Hills, Antelope Valley Care Center in Lancaster, Brier Oak on Sunset in Hollywood, Golden Haven Care Center in Glendale, Kei-Ai Los Angeles Healthcare Center in Lincoln Park, Santa Anita Convalescent Hospital in Temple City and Seacrest Post-Acute Care Center in San Pedro.
A state investigation into Golden Haven found that staff withheld a diabetic resident’s insulin and failed to monitor the person’s blood sugar for 61 days, resulting in the patient’s hospitalization and death in April 2024. At Brier Oak on Sunset, it was determined that a resident died in August 2024 after rolling off a bed while her nurse was tending to a different patient, and that paramedics found the woman lying on the floor in a pool of blood.
Ararat was reported to have been cited for failures related to the deaths of two residents less than three months apart. The facility’s attorney called suspension “unwarranted’, and said they are planning to appeal the suspension. “The facility’s top priority is and always has been the safety and well-being of its residents,” said the attorney, Mark E. Reagan.
None of the other facilities sent letters by the state responded to requests for comment prior to publication of the L.A. Times report. All are expected to exercise their right to appeal.
Tony Chicotel, a senior staff attorney with California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, said he was “pleasantly surprised” by the state’s enforcement action, considering the rarity of AA citations being issued. “As far as I know — and I’ve been doing this a long time, a couple decades — this is new,” Chicotel said.
Rachel Tate, vice president of ombudsman services at the nonprofit Wise & Healthy Aging, was quoted as expressing her concern that the state had not acted sooner in light of the deaths of residents. “I understand that we need to be giving facilities due process and these other opportunities, but it seems we are sacrificing patient care in the process,” Tate said. “How many people are you allowed to kill and still get to appeal and keep your license? That’s very concerning.”
Protecting Nursing Home Residents
The situation at the facilities in Los Angeles County emphasizes the need for vigilance in protecting patients in nursing homes from abuse or neglect. Our team is dedicated to helping you get the information you need to make informed decisions about your loved one’s care. If you suspect abuse, we will stop at nothing to uncover the truth. Whether it means filing a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain hidden records or taking legal action to investigate a specific facility, we are prepared to go the extra mile on your behalf.
If you believe that your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, visit FreeNursingHomeAbuseReport.com to get started by filling out our simple contact form. We will keep you informed every step of the way and provide you with the support and guidance you need, free of charge, to navigate this challenging time.
