SACRAMENTO, CA – A lawsuit has been filed against the operator of 19 nursing homes in California, alleging that understaffing at the facilities has led to neglect and poor care of residents.
California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the suit against Carlsbad-based Sweetwater Care. Bonta alleges that Sweetwater violated California’s Unfair Competition Law by failing to meet statutory minimum staffing levels and to protect California residents under its care.
The lack of staffing “led to delayed care and critical oversights, resulting in severe harm to patients who depended on timely medical attention,” according to the lawsuit. Despite receiving significant payments from Medi-Cal, Sweetwater allegedly violated California law and regulations related to minimum skilled nursing facility staffing. CBS8 reported that Sweetwater received nearly $300 million in public funds, yet engaged in over 25,000 violations of California staffing laws between 2020 and 2024.
“Sweetwater and its skilled nursing facilities violated the law and betrayed the trust of communities by failing to safeguard the health and safety of its residents. This is simply unacceptable,” said Bonta. “The California Department of Justice will step in whenever the well-being of patients is at stake. With today’s lawsuit, we are holding Sweetwater accountable for breaking the law by understaffing its facilities and leaving residents vulnerable to serious neglect and injuries. No one is above the law, and our vulnerable patients deserve nothing less than dignity, safety, and high-quality care.”
An investigation by the state Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse found that Sweetwater engaged in a pattern of unlawful conduct leading to patient harm, preventable neglect, abuse, and injuries.
The company’s failure to meet minimum staffing levels was alleged to have led to patients being “exposed to preventable neglect, abuse, and injuries including fractured bones that went days without assessment or medical care, patients with head trauma leaving the facility unbeknownst to staff, unwitnessed falls, pressure injuries so severe that a patient’s hip bone was visible, medical emergencies that were not timely assessed or responded to, and patients being left for hours and overnight in soiled diapers because staff were too few or unwilling to provide care.”
Incidents at a number of Sweetwater Care facilities were reported to have been cited in the lawsuit.
At the Fowler Care Center near Fresno, a patient “developed eight pressure ulcers…” with “visible exposed metal of the hip joint.”
At the Rancho Seco Care Center in Galt, a patient with severe cognitive impairment “eloped from the facility on his wheelchair on multiple occasions and crossed a busy road to go to a convenience store to purchase alcohol.”
At the Brookside Care Center in Stockton, a staff member witnessed an unsupervised 60-year-old male patient with a “history of sexual interest in younger individuals” touching the breast of a female patient in her early 20s with a traumatic brain injury and schizophrenia.
CBS 8 reported that it has reached out multiple times to Sweetwater Care at their offices in Carlsbad to speak with the two owners named in the complaint, Aaron Chesley and James Gamett. The company’s general counsel said they would have no comment.
The 19 Sweetwater Care nursing homes named in the lawsuit are:
Palms Care Center in Chowchilla
Meadowood Nursing Center in Clearlake
Valley View Care Center in Delano
Fowler Care Center and Vineyards at Fowler in Fowler
Evergreen Care Center in Fresno
Rancho Seco Care Center in Galt
Feather River Care Center in Oroville
River Walk Care Center in Porterville
Shasta View Care Center in Red Bluff
Rolling Hills Care Center in Selma
Brookside Care Center and Noble Care Center in Stockton
Grand Oaks Care and Orchards at Tulare in Tulare
Sequoia Vista in Visalia
Almond View Care Center in Williams
Valley Care Center and Yucca Valley Nursing in Yucca Valley.
The California DOJ is seeking remedies including civil monetary penalties, injunctive relief to prevent violations of California laws and regulations, the installation of a receiver or compliance monitor, and costs of suit.
Protecting Loved Ones From Abuse and Neglect
Understaffing in nursing homes is considered to be one of the biggest factors leading to nursing home abuse and neglect. Reporting nursing home abuse is crucial not only for protecting your loved one but also for preventing others from experiencing similar mistreatment. By coming forward with your concerns, you can help shed light on abusive practices and hold negligent facilities accountable for their actions.
At FreeNursingHomeAbuseReport.com, 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. Fill out our simple contact form. to report suspected abuse and request more information about your loved one’s nursing home. Our team will get to work on your behalf and provide you with the support and guidance you need to navigate this challenging time.
