ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Last month a Castro Valley assisted living facility was shut down by California Social Services. What happened after the shutdown is cause for alarm. According to news reports, patients were abandoned by caregivers after the temporary shutdown order. Two days after the facility was shut down, paramedics responded to the scene and found that only a skeleton crew was caring for the elderly residents at the assisted living facility. Oakland caregiver fraud attorneys say that elderly patients that need care should never be left without trained staff to help them with basic needs.
After the facility was shut down, paramedics were called to the facility for an unknown medical reason. When they arrived at the assisted living facility they became concerned about the situation that they encountered. There were 14 residents still at the assisted living facility and only a cook, a janitor and one caregiver remained there to take care of the elderly patients. This happened two days after the facility was ordered shut down by the state. There was a sign posted on the door that read “NOTICE: CLOSED FOR BUSINESS.” The sheriff’s department was called in after it was determined that the patients had been abandoned. Oakland caregiver fraud attorneys remind the public to keep a close watch on family members that are in assisted living facilities.
According to authorities, the patients were elderly and some were wheelchair bound or bedridden. Sheriff’s deputies removed them from the facility and medical evaluations of the elderly patients are ongoing. Meanwhile, authorities are looking for the owners of the facility to question them about the circumstances surrounding the incident. The owners of the facility could face elder abuse charges stemming from abandoning the patients. Oakland caregiver fraud attorneys say that elder abandonment is a serious issue that should not be overlooked.
Relatives of patients who were at the facility said that they did not know that the facility was operating without proper staff to meet the needs of the patients. According to news reports, some relatives were unaware of the exact location of their family members. Police are working with relatives to provide locations to where the patients were taken after they were removed from the facility. Some relatives expressed outrage over the fact that they were not notified by the facility of the closing; and that elderly patients were left without caregivers to assist them.
The district attorney will evaluate the case and determine whether or not to bring criminal charges against the owners. According to state records, the owners of the Castro Valley facility also own assisted living facilities in Oakland and Modesto. Those facilities were also shut down last month.
Evans Law Firm, Inc. handles elder abuse, financial elder abuse, physical elder abuse, annuity fraud, consumer fraud class actions, insurance and banking fraud cases. If you think that you have witnessed or are the victim of elder abuse, or financial fraud then contact Evans Law Firm, Inc. at 415-441-8669 for a free and confidential consultation, or email us at info@evanslaw.com
