A nursing home in Glendale, California, on Thursday, May 21st, got sued by the aggrieved family of a deceased patient. The relatives of Ricardo Saldana, a 77-year-old late resident of Glenhaven Healthcare, filed a negligence lawsuit for elder abuse and other offenses against the facility for the man’s death from COVID-19
The documents filed in the Los Angeles Superior Court disclosed that the deceased had been living at Glenhaven — formerly Elms Convalescent Hospital — since he had a stroke in May 2014. Saldana’s family alleged that in March 2020, his health and general wellbeing were stable, and he could still interact with his wife, Celia, and their children, Jackie, Marie, and Ricardo Jr.
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At the time, the state of California, and Los Angeles County declared a state of emergency over the spread of COVID-19. The lawsuit claims that despite knowing this, the facility failed to implement appropriate safety measures.
Saldana’s family alleged that Glenhaven failed to provide face masks for the residents and staff members, and disallowed anyone from using it. They also claimed that the facility did not isolate those who had come in contact with people suffering from the novel virus.
In early April, one of the exposed patients became the deceased’s roommate, and he contracted COVID-19. The lawsuit stated that the victim’s health deteriorated rapidly; medications could do nothing for him, and on April 13th, Saldana passed away.
The deceased’s family claim that the nursing home put profits over people and are accusing them of elder abuse, willful misconduct, negligence, and wrongful death. The negligence lawsuit did not specify the damages the plaintiffs are asking for, and Glenhaven has refused to discuss the case due to HIPAA and privacy laws.
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The articles published contain sensitive subject matter that may be hard to read by some. We understand that losing a loved one is hard and devastating. Safety Watch’s decision to share the stories is to help others who may be facing the same situations by providing appropriate resources to the general public.