Unprotected: How Some Nursing Homes – and the State – Have Failed to Care for the Most Vulnerable.

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By KPCC 89.3

Many residents of nursing homes died during the pandemic, but reports of neglect and lack of oversight happened well before the pandemic hit RESOLUTION PRODUCTIONS/GETTY IMAGES/TETRA IMAGES RF
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IMMEDIATE JEOPARDY: DEATH AND NEGLECT IN CALIFORNIA NURSING HOMES 

In this special edition of Take Two we’ll take a deep dive into the way some nursing homes are failing the most vulnerable Californians. Reports of neglect and abuse were made even before the pandemic when so many nursing residents died due to lack of oversight and other reasons.  We’re calling our series “Unprotected.” It’s a collaboration of California nonprofit newsrooms. The series kicks off  with a special report from reporters Elly Yu and Aaron Mendelson. It’s called “Immediate Jeopardy: death and neglect in California Nursing homes.” (Two Parts) 

NURSING HOMES: OVERSIGHT AND REGULATIONS

Now we turn to Jocelyn Wiener  who covers health and mental health for CalMatters. She has been writing about nursing homes issues for years. And as part of our collaboration, she published a story about the biggest nursing home owner in the state.

Guest: 

  • CalMatters Reporter Jocelyn Wiener 

REPEAT ABUSE CONTINUED IN NURSING HOMES DESPITE REPORTS

An update now on an ex-caregiver accused of sexually assaulting three women in local nursing homes. KPBS’s Amita Sharma has obtained documents revealing that state investigators knew Matthew Fluckiger had engaged in sexual misconduct with a nursing home patient as far back as 2017. But they still did not revoke his license, allowing him to work in three more facilities where he was accused of sodomy, inappropriate touching…and then rape. 

Guest: 

  • KPBS Reporter Amita Sharma

STATE RESPONDS TO REPEATED REPORTS OF NEGLECT AND ABUSE AT SOME CALIFORNIA NURSING HOMES 

Our examination of the state’s failures in nursing home oversight continues. In the end, the California Department of Public Health do NOT make anyone available to us for an interview. So we reached out to Assemblyman Jim Wood. He’s the chair of the California State Assembly Committee on Health.

Guest: 

  • Assemblyman Jim Wood