By Healthcare Facilities Today

California State Sen. Marty Block will introduce Senate Bill 911 to provide oversight  and reforms of residential elderly care facilities (RECF), according to an article on the Sun County Magazine website.

Investigative reports by the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR) have highlighted lack of training standards, neglect, ineffective penalties and inadequate enforcement plaguing residential care facilities, the article said.

According to an investigative report by the San Diego Union-Tribune, hundreds of seniors have suffered broken bones, deadly bedsores and sexual assaults in San Diego alone.  Since 2008, 27 elderly residents have died from injuries and neglect suffered in San Diego County RCFEs.

The report details examples of how RCFE staff is not adequately trained to handle residents’ needs. The lack of training has resulted in numerous incidents of neglect and injury that could have been prevented with the proper training, the article said.  

In one case, a direct care staff member failed to properly fasten a seat belt to a resident before going on a tour in the facilities van. This failure resulted in the resident falling and suffering fatal injuries. Even with the resident in excruciating pain, the facility waited four hours before calling 911 to seek help. The resident died four days later due to her injuries.

Block’s measure is part of the 14-bill Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFE) Reform Act of 2014.

SB 911 would establish  increased training requirements for all staff, administrators and direct care staff, at Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly (RCFEs). It would also increase training, and require any RCFE  with residents who have restricted or specialized health conditions to employ trained medical personnel on a full or part-time basis. This bill also protects residents and employees from retaliation for calling 911 to help a resident in need.

Read the article.