HARRISBURG, Pa. (Legal Newsline) - A Pennsylvania nursing home is facing accusations that it failed to provide basic services to its vulnerable and elderly residents, said Pennsylvania Attorney General Kathleen Kane on Wednesday.
The suit was against Golden Gate National Senior Care, which does business as Golden LivingCenters and manages and operates 36 facilities in the state. There are 14 of the subsidiaries named in the lawsuit, Kane said.
“As we allege, these companies profited at the expense of our most vulnerable residents," Kane said. "These facilities promised to provide the care needed by residents and then failed to meet residents’ most basic human needs. That is simply unacceptable."
Kane said the nursing home deceived consumers through its marketing and violated the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law. The lawsuit claims the facilities are understaffed and left residents “thirsty, hungry, dirty, unkempt.” Some residents weren't able to get a staff member to help them go to the bathroom, the lawsuit said.
It contradicted the company's advertisements that said it would care for residents by keeping them clean, comfortable and provide food and water at any time, Kane said.
An investigation into the company, along with interviews of residents' family members and former certified nursing assistants, showed widespread issues including consistent understaffing and omitted care at its facilities, Kane claims.