Specifically, an analysis of data provided by nine California counties found that nearly 87 percent of senior citizens with cognitive impairments such as Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia would lose all of their paid caregiver hours under the proposed cuts. Similarly, 91 percent of seniors who are unable to shop for their own food without “substantial” assistance would lose all services. In addition, 94 percent of those living alone would lose all their caregiver hours, as would approximately 90 percent of those age 80 and older. All of these scenarios are strongly predictive of increased rates of institutionalization.

Berman & Riedel, LLP is a San Diego based law firm that represents victims of elder abuse and neglect throughout Southern California and the rest of the state. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the care an elderly loved one is receiving in a California nursing home or other type of elder care facility, call the firm today at (858) 350-8855. Our attorneys will happily provide you and your family with an initial free consultation to discuss with you the rights you may have under California and federal law. To learn more about the firm, visit www.preventelderabuse.com.

The family said it was a manageable arrangement because the family was able to take his husband, who is 83, to visit him three or four times a week. But now that he has been moved to a nursing home in Novato, in th Bay Area, frequent visits are no longer possible.

The family was told by Olive Ridge staff that the dementia unit was being closed to make room for patients who were discharged from acute-care hospitals and needed to convalesce.

It appeared perhaps 30 of approximately 40 people who lived in the dementia unit had been moved out recently.

California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform said nursing home residents have a right to live where they are living. Wanting to make room for another class of residents did not appear to be a valid reason for moving people out, according to the organization.

A spokesman for the state Department of Public Health said if Olive Ridge was closing its dementia unit, it would have had to obtain permission from the state. It appears, however, that the nursing home is only phasing out the unit, and that doesn’t require approval from the department.

The family plans to file a complaint with the Department of Public Health.

If you have any questions regarding the transfer of an elderly loved one who was a resident at a California nursing home or other type of elder care facility, call Berman & Riedel, LLP today at (858) 350-8855. Our staff will happily provide you and your family with an initial free consultation to discuss with you any questions or concerns you may have. To learn more about the firm, visit www.preventelderabuse.com.

Schwarzenegger has proposed deep cuts to the state’s adult day care and in-home care programs, which are aimed at keeping the elderly and disabled out of nursing homes.  The cuts would boot about 450,000 Californians out of these programs.

Without in-home care or adult day care, experts predict more seniors will have to go to nursing homes—but California nursing homes don’t have enough room.

As it has repeatedly done in the six weeks since Schwarzenegger released his proposed budget, his office offered no defense of the proposed cuts beyond that the state is facing a fiscal crisis.

Berman & Riedel, LLP represents victims of elder abuse and neglect throughout Southern California and the rest of the state.  If you have any questions or concerns regarding the care an elderly loved one is receiving in a San Diego nursing home or other type of elder care facility, call Berman & Riedel, LLP today at (858) 350-8855.  Our staff will happily provide you with an initial free consultation to discuss with you the rights you and your family may have under California and federal law.  To learn more about the firm, visit www.preventelderabuse.com.

The hospital’s nursing home was cited by state health regulators four times last year and paid a total of $18,900 in administrative fines, according to California Department of Public Health citation records.

The nursing home was fined twice for a total of $2,900 for failing to report possible elder abuse of two emergency room patients, according to the citation records.

Mayers also paid $1,000 after an employee repeatedly made fun of an elderly dementia patient’s inappropriate behavior toward other hospital employees, records show.

But the largest fine in 2009 was a $15,000 citation stemming from the January death of a 23-year-old man who was admitted to the nursing home in October 2008 for complications of severe diabetes.

The facility was cited for failing to administer CPR when the patient stopped breathing and went into cardiac arrest, despite a doctor’s standing order to resuscitate the man.

Only one other Shasta county nursing home, the much larger Canyonwood Nursing and Rehab Center in Redding, was cited more times in 2009, with five infractions totaling $4,000 in fines, according to Department of Public Health records.

Canyon has 115 licensed skilled nursing beds and Mayers nursing home has 22 licensed acute care beds.

This week’s $50,000 fine at Mayers was one of the largest state health officials could levy against a care facility.

Officials allege that in March an elderly nursing home patient with Alzheimer’s disease died of pneumonia five days after inhaling part of a meat and cheese sandwich.  The patient, who had only two teeth and limited ability to chew, wasn’t supposed to eat anything other than food that had been ground up for him, officials said.

Mayers President Mike Kerns described the incident as an anomaly and said it didn’t reflect the quality of care patients receive at the hospital.

Berman & Riedel, LLP is a San Diego firm that represents victims of elder abuse and neglect throughout the state of California.  If you would like to speak with an elder abuse attorney, call Berman & Riedel, LLP today at (858) 350-8855.  Our staff will happily provide you and your family with an initial free consultation to discuss with you any questions or concerns you have regarding the care an elderly loved one is receiving in a nursing home or other type of California elder care facility.  To learn more about the firm, visit www.preventelderabuse.com.

The debate is crucial since AB 1629 will expire in the middle of next year unless it is made permanent.  According to advocates, not only has the law enabled nursing homes to pay staff better, it also has rescued many facilities from the verge of financial ruin.

The law changed how nursing homes are paid through Medi-Cal.  Instead of being paid a flat rate, the homes are now paid according to how much they spend.

With its main offices located in San Diego, Berman & Riedel, LLP represents victims of elder abuse and neglect throughout Southern California and the rest of the state.  If you would like to speak with an elder abuse attorney, call Berman & Riedel, LLP today at (858) 350-8855.  Our attorneys will happily provide you and your family with an initial free consultation to discuss with you the rights you may have under California and federal law.  To learn more about the firm, visit www.preventelderabuse.com.