Suit Alleges Neglect, Understaffing at Golden Living Nursing Home

A Petaluma nursing home is one of several assisted living facilities around the state part of a new class-action lawsuit claiming the home was regularly understaffed and did not properly care for its patients, according to an article in Friday’s Argus Courier.

The suit, filed by a Eureka law firm claims that Petaluma did not provide the 3.2 hours of nurse time required by law, neglect the suit alleges dates back to November of 2006.

During that time, thousands of patients were housed in various facilities owned by Golden Living and were not properly cleaned or fed, according to the suit, filed by the firm Janssen, Malloy, Needham, Morrison, Reinholtsen, Crowley & Griego.

But Connie Smith, senior executive director of Golden Living Center in Petaluma, said that the facility was one of less than 500 nursing homes around the country to receive the American Health Care Association’s Bronze Commitment to Quality national award out of more than 1,000 eligible facilities.

She also said the facility had much fewer deficiencies than other nursing homes and had a high rating for staffing levels.

Read the full article here