An elderly patient dies from a bed sore after a brief stay in an understaffed Los Angeles nursing home that has not provided the care she was promised. When the family complains about elder abuse, it takes months for the Dept. of Public Health to investigate.
A bill sponsored by Los Angeles Assemblyman Mike Feuer to ensure that most nursing home abuse and neglect investigations be completed within 40 days after a complaint is made passed the Legislature. It is awaiting signature by the Governor, whose office says he has not yet decided whether he will sign it.
More than 110,000 Californians reside in nursing homes each year. This law is needed to protect those senior citizens from serious injury or death from neglect or abuse. “A timely investigation with timely results can make the difference literally between life and death sometimes,” Feuer said.