Philadelphia Personal Injury Attorney Blog - Pomerantz Perlberger & Lewis LLP

The criminal charges against the operator of a small California nursing home show not only the level of neglect that elders sometimes suffer and how it can make their lives painful to the end, but also that neglect can occur at any nursing care facility. The home, Chateau Sabelle, located in San Mateo County, California, was a small six-bed facility, with a live-in caretaker, ostensibly provides personal round-the-clock care to nonambulatory patients.

However, one of its residents was brought to an area hospital with advanced bed sores and a fist-sized ulcer on his lower back. A week later, the man died as a result of cardiac disease at the age of 86.

The primary caretaker was named personally on criminal charges of causing pain to an elderly person and causing great bodily injury to an elderly person or dependent person over the age of 70. She was arrested and is being held in custody in lieu of $150,000 bail. She faces 11 years in prison if found guilty of the charges, but these years cannot abate the pain her patient faced through the end of his life.

The common assumption about nursing homes is that smaller is better, that patients receive better care in more intimate settings, but this case shows that is not always true. Unfortunately, elders can suffer painful neglect or abuse in any setting. If you have a loved one who has suffered as a result of nursing home neglect or abuse, contact the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers at Pomerantz, Perlberger, and Lewis, LLP today to set up a free initial consultation.