Attorney General's Allegations 'Baseless,' Nursing Home Says

Golden Living unequivocally rejected claims that their residents had been grossly mistreated in a statement released on Thusday.

Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane filed legal action Wednesday alleging that the nursing home had failed to provide basic services to “elderly and vulnerable” residents.

“Golden Living is confident that claims made by the Attorney General are baseless and wholly without merit,” Neil Kurtz, president and CEO of Golden Living, said in a statement. “We plan to vigorously defend the reputation of Golden Living and its employees.”

Kane says residents at Golden Living Centers were left in soiled diapers for extended periods of time, were at risk for bedsores and were not routinely bathed, among other allegations. The attorney general also alleges that residents were often not escorted to meals as required, sometimes missed meals entirely and staff falsified records.

“The company advertised it would keep its residents clean and comfortable while providing food and water at any time. But its facilities were understaffed, leaving residents thirsty, hungry, dirty, unkempt and sometimes unable to summon anyone to help meet their most basic needs, such as going to the bathroom,” the legal action asserts.

Kurtz, meanwhile, directed malpractice claims of his own at Kane.

“No doubt, this is an unfortunate result of Kathleen Kane’s inappropriate and questionable relationship with a Washington, DC-based plaintiff’s firm that preys on legitimate businesses and is then paid by contingency fees,” Kurtz said in the statement.

Kurtz was referring to an agreement between the Attorney General’s office and the Cohen, Milstein, Sellers & Toll law firm, which helps the state investigate nursing home violations but also receives a portion of the fines levied, according to a March story on Philly.com.

While the law firm did help authorities investigate Golden Living, the case will be prosecuted by lawyers from the Attorney General’s office.

Golden Living Centers manages locations in Doylestown, Phoenixville, Lansdale and elsewhere across the state and country. Click here for a full list.

For more information about the legal action, click here.