Due Diligence – Investigate Nursing Homes

Two recent incidents of elder abuse prompted this article.

First, in San Francisco a nursing home employee was accused of killing a resident, doing a carjacking and causing a massive accident.  Maximo Fajardo, Jr. worked at the Convalescent Center Mission Street for less than a month.  It’s under investigation and you can read the SF Gate piece here.

Second, a former administrator of the Elmwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Berkeley, Conception Pinco Giron, is accused of kidnapping a patient and keeping her in Giron’s home while stealing the patient’s pension, as well as stealing money from five other elderly folks.  The horrifying story is in the SF Gate.

For those of you with elderly relatives, neighbors and friends in skilled nursing facilities (SNF), make sure you perform due diligence.  Know the policies of the SNF.  Get a copy of the patient’s rights form.  Find out how the SNF does its background checks.  Make sure it doesn’t employ ex-felons.

Use the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform site to locate a SNF and find out if the facility has been cited.

Keep in mind that patients who are visited frequently fare far better in any facility than those who have no one checking in on them.

If you think there’s something amiss, contact the state Ombudsman and report it.

Astor Trial Shocker: Juror Feared for Her Life

The conviction of Brooke Astor’s son, Anthony D. Marshall, for defrauding his mother and stealing millions near the end of her life as she suffered from advanced dementia has taken a surprising turn.

A juror reported that she felt such fear for her safety that she voted to convict. Marshall’s attorneys will use the information as a basis for appeal.

Mr. Marshall was convicted of first-degree grand larceny and given a sentence of 1 to 3 years in prison.  He is currently free pending an appeal of his conviction.