Nursing Home Neglect and Elder Abuse in California: 5 Resources Every Family Should Know
Updated: Sep 10
When a loved one enters a nursing home or assisted living facility, families place a great deal of trust in the people responsible for their care. Whether you are considering a facility for a family member or already have concerns about the care someone is receiving, there are several public resources that can help you learn more about a facility’s history.
California and federal agencies make much of this information available to the public. Families can research complaints, inspections, citations, staffing information, licensing records and other issues that may help them make a more informed decision.
Here are five resources California families should know about.
1. California Department of Public Health: Cal Health Find
For a California skilled nursing facility, one of the best places to start is the California Department of Public Health’s Cal Health Find.
Families can search a nursing home by name and review information that may include licensing records, complaints, facility reported incidents, deficiencies, enforcement actions and Class AA, A and B citations.
Cal Health Find also provides access to Statements of Deficiencies and Plans of Correction, commonly known as CMS-2567s, for many skilled nursing facilities. These reports can provide more detail about problems identified during an inspection and what the facility was required to do to correct them.
When researching a facility, pay attention not only to the number of deficiencies, but also to what they involved and whether similar problems appear more than once.
2. Medicare Care Compare
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services maintains Medicare Care Compare, another useful resource for researching nursing homes.
Care Compare provides the familiar Five-Star rating for nursing homes, but families should look beyond the overall rating. The website also provides information about health inspections, staffing, quality measures and deficiencies identified at a facility.
A star rating can be a useful starting point, but the underlying inspection and staffing information may provide a better understanding of a facility’s record.
3. California Department of Social Services Facility Search
Not every senior care facility is a skilled nursing facility.
If your loved one lives in a Residential Care Facility for the Elderly, commonly referred to as an RCFE or assisted living facility, the California Department of Social Services Facility Search is an important resource.
Families can use the database to locate licensing information, inspection reports and complaint investigation information for facilities regulated by the Department of Social Services.
Knowing whether a loved one is in a skilled nursing facility or an RCFE is important because the facilities are regulated differently and their records may be found through different state agencies.
4. Community Care Licensing Division
The Community Care Licensing Division is part of the California Department of Social Services and is responsible for licensing and monitoring several types of care facilities, including RCFEs through its Senior Care Licensing Program.
The Department of Social Services Facility Search is generally the easiest place for families to begin looking for publicly available records. If additional information is needed, families can also contact the appropriate Community Care Licensing regional office regarding a particular facility.
5. California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform
California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform, commonly known as CANHR, is a nonprofit advocacy organization rather than a government agency.
CANHR provides information about nursing home care, residents’ rights, complaints, California regulations and other long term care issues. It can be especially helpful for families trying to understand what rights a nursing home resident has or where to turn when they have concerns about care.
CANHR also provides guidance for accessing government inspection and regulatory information.
What Should Families Look For?
Finding a citation or deficiency does not necessarily mean that a facility committed elder abuse or neglect. At the same time, families should not assume that a good overall rating means there have never been problems.
Look at the details. Has the facility been cited repeatedly? Are there recurring issues involving falls, pressure sores, dehydration, medication errors, inadequate supervision, staffing, infection control or failure to follow a resident’s care plan? Are the problems recent? Has the same type of deficiency appeared more than once?
Those details can provide a much clearer picture than a rating alone.
When You Have Concerns About a Loved One’s Care
Public records are only one part of understanding what happened inside a nursing home or assisted living facility. Medical records, care plans, nursing notes, photographs, witness accounts and other evidence may also be important when there are concerns about neglect or abuse.
At Berglund & Johnson, we have represented injured individuals and families throughout Southern California for decades, including families dealing with nursing home neglect and elder abuse. When questions arise about the care a loved one received, reviewing the facility’s history can be an important place to start.
If you believe a loved one has suffered neglect or abuse in a California nursing home, skilled nursing facility or assisted living facility, contact Berglund & Johnson to discuss your concerns.
Disclaimer: This article is provided for general informational purposes only and is not intended as legal advice. Every case is different, and the information provided may not apply to your particular circumstances. Reading this article or contacting Berglund & Johnson through this website does not, by itself, create an attorney-client relationship. No attorney-client relationship is formed unless and until Berglund & Johnson agrees to represent you. Past results do not guarantee or predict a similar outcome in any future matter.
