Contra Costa Herald

News Of By and For The People of Contra Costa County, California

California receives $1.2 million of settlement with Concord nursing home for poor care

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State Attorney General Bonta thanks U.S. Attorney’s Office for assistance

California Attorney General Rob Bonta on Tuesday secured a settlement against a Contra Costa County skilled nursing facility resolving allegations of understaffing and patient abuse and neglect. The settlement resolves claims that for five years, San Miguel Villa subjected its patients to poor care due to understaffing and effectively rendered a number of its services useless. The settlement amounts to a total of $2.3 million, with California receiving $1.2 million. (See related article)

“Corporate profits should never be placed above patient needs and care,” said Attorney General Rob Bonta. “Every patient is entitled to humane care, and skilled nursing facilities should always have the appropriate level of staffing to ensure this standard of dignity is met. I want to thank the U.S. Attorney’s Office for their critical help during the course of this investigation. With the help of our federal partners, my office will continue to protect the well-being of all Medi-Cal beneficiaries.”

In June 2017, the California Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse (DMFEA) responded to a report from the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of California (USAO) involving allegations of overmedication of residents at San Miguel Villa. The USAO requested DMFEA’s assistance in the investigation. Conducted by DMFEA and the USAO, the investigation analyzed residents’ medical charts, surveys from the California Department of Public Health, prescription records, and publicly available staffing information from 2012-2017 – the time frame when the alleged mistreatment occurred. The investigation uncovered evidence of understaffing at the facility resulting in harm to residents, such as increased falls, patient-on-patient violence, weight loss, and overmedication to render patients more manageable. Tuesday’s settlement amounts to a total of $2.3 million, with California receiving $1.2 million.

The California Department of Justice’s DMFEA protects Californians by investigating and prosecuting those who defraud the Medi-Cal program as well as those who commit elder abuse. These settlements are made possible only through the coordination and collaboration of governmental agencies, as well as the critical help from whistleblowers who report incidences of abuse or Medi-Cal fraud at oag.ca.gov/dmfea/reporting.

DMFEA receives 75% of its funding from HHS under a grant award totaling $53,792,132 for federal fiscal year 2022-2023 The remaining 25% is funded by the State of California. The federal fiscal year is defined as October 1, 2022, through September 30, 2023.

A copy of the settlement is available here.

Concord nursing home to pay $2.3 million in settlement of grossly substandard care allegations

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Submitted false claims in billing to Medicare and Medi-Cal programs

By U.S. Attorney’s Office, Northern District of California

Tranquility Incorporated, a corporation doing business as San Miguel Villa which is a 190-bed skilled nursing facility located in Concord, CA, has agreed to pay $2.3 million to settle allegations that it submitted false claims by billing the Medicare and Medi-Cal programs for grossly substandard nursing home services it provided to its residents between 2012 and 2017, announced United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds and Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General (HHS-OIG) Special Agent in Charge Steven J. Ryan. (See settlement)

The settlement resolves allegations that from 2012 to 2017 San Miguel Villa submitted, or caused to be submitted, claims to the Medicare and Medi-Cal programs for payment of its services that were grossly substandard and failed to meet minimum required standards of skilled nursing care in multiple ways. The United States alleges that nursing home residents at San Miguel Villa were overmedicated with psychotropic drugs, suffered excessive falls, were exposed to resident-on-resident altercations, and experienced other mental and physical harm.

“Residents of nursing homes are among the most vulnerable in our community, and they rely on Medicare and Medi-Cal programs to provide the care and services they must have,” said United States Attorney Stephanie M. Hinds. “Nursing homes are entrusted to impart competent and quality care to their residents. This case demonstrates that when federal funds are provided but substandard care is delivered, this office is committed to seeking accountability.”

“Nursing homes are intended to be places of comfort and healing, but the provision of substandard care jeopardizes the residents’ health and safety,” stated Steven J. Ryan, Special Agent in Charge with HHS-OIG. “HHS-OIG and our law enforcement partners are staunchly dedicated to investigating allegations of inadequate care at Medicare- and Medicaid-certified nursing homes.”

Assistant U.S. Attorney Gioconda Molinari investigated the matter with the assistance of Paralegal Lillian Do and Auditor Garland He. The United States Attorney’s Office initiated the investigation with assistance from HHS-OIG as part of its ongoing commitment to ensure that nursing home residents receive the necessary skilled nursing home services that they are entitled to and require. The United States Attorney’s Office acknowledges and thanks HHS-OIG as well as the California Department of Justice’s Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse for their assistance in investigating this matter.

Working in conjunction with the United States Department of Justice Elder Justice Initiative, the United States Attorney’s Office runs an Elder Justice Task Force to identify and investigate nursing homes that provide grossly substandard care, and to support the efforts of state and local prosecutors, law enforcement, and other elder justice professionals who combat elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation. If you or a loved one is experiencing abuse at a nursing home, please contact the California Long Term Care Ombudsman Crisis line at 1-800-231-4024, or the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833–FRAUD–11 (or 833–372–8311).

 

TreVista Senior Living and Memory Care welcomes author Jolene Brackey for a Zoom Event on June 28, 2022

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Brackey will offer tips to caregivers, friends and family of individuals with dementia

Antioch and Concord…Although it’s impossible to create a perfectly wonderful day, caregivers for those with dementia can create perfectly wonderful moments for those with memory loss. In an effort to assist caregivers as well as anyone who loves someone with dementia, TreVista Senior Living and Memory Care in Antioch and Concord are pleased to welcome Jolene Brackey, author of Creating Moments of Joy, for a special event. Brackey will discuss fun and simple ways to bring joy into every day for those with dementia. She will also answer questions from event attendees.

The zoom event will be held on June 28, 2022, from 4:00-5:00 p.m. (pacific). Those interested in attending should either Tamsen Meierdierck at TreVista Antioch at tmeierdierck@trevista-antioch.com or 925-470-3395 or Mike Bonifay at TreVista Concord at mbonifay@trevista-concord.com or 925-798-3900. Those who contact either individual will be added to the RSVP list and get a personalized zoom link. Those who attend the event live on zoom will get a free copy of Brackey’s book.

Brackey has shared her message of joy and inspiration with families and caregivers across North America for more than twenty years. A sought-after voice in the health care community, Brackey maintains an active speaking calendar. Passing on all she has learned from her travels and from her work with families and loved ones, her passion is to change the way people see people with Alzheimer’s and dementia. More information can be found at Jolene’s website, enhancedmoments.com.

For more information on TreVista, please visit trevistaseniorliving.com.

About TreVista

TreVista Senior Living and Memory Care provides expert, loving care for those living with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia. TreVista believes that the quality of life for those with memory loss can be enhanced in the right environment with their support. There are two TreVista communities, located in Antioch and Concord, CA. TreVista is a member of the Agemark Senior Living family of companies. Agemark has been an industry leader in creating home-like senior communities for more than three decades and has been named a Great Place to Work in Aging Services by Great Place to Work and FORTUNE magazine, three years running. For more information on TreVista, visit trevistaseniorliving.com. For more information on Agemark, visit www.agemark.com.

 

Meals on Wheels seeking donations to support March for Meals serving seniors

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Part of 50th anniversary celebration of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program

This is the last week of March for Meals, a month-long celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Older Americans Act Nutrition Program. It is also the fourth week of our March Safety Bag Madness to collect items to fill a bag for our seniors to have on hand in case of power outages, fires, or an earthquake.

Even though the challenge for the brackets is coming to an end, as is March for Meals, we still need more items to fill 1,000 bags! So please consider donating these essential safety items throughout the month of April, too:

  • Non-slip socks
  • Whistles
  • Small flashlights with batteries
  • Extra batteries
  • Small garbage bags
  • Hand and toe warmers
  • Band-aids, gauze, and alcohol wipes
  • Glow sticks
  • Hand sanitizer

Items can be purchased through Amazon or other retailers and shipped directly to us or can be dropped off at our office at 1300 Civic Drive, Walnut Creek. To arrange a drop-off time, please call us at 925-937-8607.

For those who are participating in our March Madness Brackets, below are the target numbers for this week’s donation goals:

Week 4: Donate 20+ items

  • Donation example: 3 packs of batteries + 3 flashlights + 4 hand sanitizers + 24 packs of non-slip socks = 34 items

The seniors in our community are the most vulnerable among us and depend on MOW Diablo Region for meals to keep them from going hungry, and our supportive services keep them healthy and less isolated.

Providing them with safety bags ensures that we can keep our seniors safe in case of a natural disaster, but we can only do it with your help!

 

Bay Area crime wave impacts San Ramon over holiday weekend

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Source: San Ramon Police Department

By San Ramon Police Department

Over the holiday weekend, a very specific crime trend took place throughout the Bay Area, targeting elderly victims. Unfortunately, San Ramon was not exempt. Please take a moment to review the incidents outlined below and please, pass the information on to your friends and family as soon as possible. As always, if you see anything suspicious, call us immediately by dialing 9-1-1 or through our non-emergency line at 925-973-2779.

On Wednesday afternoon (Nov. 24), at roughly 3:30 pm, an elderly female was walking on S. Wedgewood Road near Mosaic Park when she was approached by two individuals in a white Mercedes-Benz SUV. The SUV was driven by a heavyset male (caucasian) in his 50s when a female in her mid/late 30’s (caucasian) spoke to the victim through the rear passenger window. After a short conversation, the suspect exited the vehicle and used a sleight-of-hand technique to remove the victim’s necklace and bracelets before getting back into the car and driving away.

Yesterday (Sunday, Nov. 28), at roughly 12:15 pm, an elderly female was walking along Cinnamon Ridge Road when she was approached by a female in her 30’s (Asian Indian with black hair in a ponytail). The female exited the passenger door of a newer model black BMW X3 SUV driven by an Asian-Indian male in his 30’s. During this incident, the suspect engaged the elderly victim in conversation. Again, a sleight-of-hand technique was used to remove the victim’s highly valuable watch from her wrist before the suspect got back into the vehicle and left the area.

As mentioned before, this crime trend was not specific to San Ramon. Multiple cities throughout the Bay Area had similar crimes occur over the holiday weekend. As you can see, although the suspect’s descriptions may be different, their theft methods are the same and were consistent with other thefts committed in Bay Area cities. Fortunately, there have been no injuries reported during these crimes.

Our concern is the specific targeting of elderly individuals wearing expensive jewelry and watches while out for walks by themselves. Detectives from our agency are actively pursuing investigative leads to identify those responsible for these crimes. In the meantime, please take a few moments and make sure this information is passed on to your family, friends, and loved ones. Please encourage them to walk/exercise with someone else, or if they do go out on their own, to leave their valuables at home during their daily exercise.

And always, call us immediately if you see anything suspicious!

 

Contra Costa Sheriff’s Office searches for missing 87-year-old Bay Point woman

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Adela “Dela” Peña

The Contra Costa County Office of the Sheriff has been searching for a missing woman in Bay Point since Wednesday morning, Nov. 17:

Adela “Dela” Peña

87-years-old, 5’1″, 90-100 pounds, with brown colored eyes and brown/gray hair. She was last seen wearing a light blue robe with snowmen on it, black or velvet colored sweat pants, and white sandals.

She is considered at-risk and family members said she is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

She was last seen yesterday at her home on the 600 block of Victoria Court in Bay Point at about 8:40 PM.

Family members searched for Pena but could not find her. They later notified the Sheriff’s Office. Deputy Sheriffs and the Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team are continuing the search for her.

Anyone who has seen Pena or has any information is asked to contact Sheriff’s Office dispatch at (925) 646-2441.

Meals on Wheels Diablo Region seeks volunteers to deliver grocery bags to seniors

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Meals on Wheels volunteer Ted Dason. Photo: MOWDR

By Rachel Heggen, Community Relations & Development Specialist, MOWDR

At 66, Dianne never imagined she would depend on others to do her grocery shopping.  Walking is difficult for her, which makes going to the supermarket challenging, and because she lives on a fixed income, she faces yet another obstacle to obtaining healthy food.

“I didn’t plan on my life coming down to this.” says Dianne. “I had a well-paying job, but now, I’m on disability. With the high cost of living nowadays, it’s really been tough.”

In 2020, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region (MOWDR) partnered with the Food Bank of Contra Costa and Solano to launch the Grocery Bag Program to help seniors like Dianne who face food insecurity. Twice a month, a MOWDR volunteer is able to deliver healthy groceries and fresh produce along with her weekly meals.

“It’s a wonderful program,” says Dianne. “It’s been life-saving.”

The Grocery Bag Program provides food to low-income seniors in Antioch, Bethel Island, Brentwood, Oakley, Pittsburg, Concord, Martinez and Walnut Creek. MOW Diablo Region Grocery Bag Coordinator Casey Claibourne says, “the program currently serves 160 clients, but there are many more people who need the service. The only way we can offer it is to find more volunteers.”

“You can tell most of the seniors are struggling, and from the looks of things, most likely they do not have a lot in their refrigerator,” says Ted Dason, who’s been volunteering since February. “If anyone is considering being a volunteer, I tell them, it’s super rewarding and it literally only takes about two hours every month.”

If you would like to learn more or volunteer for the Meals on Wheels Diablo Region’s Grocery Bag program, contact Casey Claibourne at cclaibourne@mowdr.org.

About

MOW Diablo Region delivers meals to seniors, 60 years or older, who are homebound, not able to drive, unable to prepare food themselves, and do not have a caregiver that prepares their meals. Meals are provided based on need, not on income. Volunteer drivers deliver over 1,000 hot, nutritious meals to homebound seniors every day. Meal deliveries also provide a needed safety-check and is often the only human interaction a senior will have all day.

Meals on Wheels offers program to prevent falls by aging parents

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Aging in place: Caring for an aging parent

By Rachel Heggen, Community Relations & Development Specialist, Meals on Wheels Diablo Region

Yvonne Tweeten and her mom, Gloria. Photo: MoW

In honor of National Occupational Therapy Month Yvonne Tweeten, Occupational Therapist with Meals on Wheels Diablo Region’s Fall Prevention Program, talked about the work we do with seniors to keep them safe at home.

Difficulty climbing stairs, feeling unbalanced, or being unsure about getting in and out of the bathtub are everyday problems that Yvonne has addressed for the past ten years at MOW Diablo Region. These are common issues for aging seniors who have difficulty accepting that everyday tasks that once were simple are now challenging. For many seniors, this can be extremely frustrating and for their adult children, it can be worrisome. The Fall Prevention Program focuses on helping seniors age safely in their home.

“We are an ally to the adult children,” said Yvonne. “I assess the home and point out potential fall risks. I also observe how the senior is getting around.” Once the assessment is completed, Yvonne works with a licensed contractor to make needed home modifications “We might recommend a ramp, railings, or a tub transfer bench. We develop trust with the senior and the adult children who are often the main caregivers. We also provide education to keep the senior safe.”

An analysis by the Center for Retirement Research found that 10 percent of adults ages 60 to 69 serve as caregivers to their aging parents, as do 12 percent of adults aged 70 and older. Having an Occupational Therapist as a part of the support team is important when it comes to caring for an older parent and helps the elderly parent maintain a healthy lifestyle.

Yvonne has a special understanding of concerns many may have with an aging parent. Her mom is 90 and lives in Wisconsin. “It’s important that a senior age with dignity, and that’s what Meals on Wheels Diablo Region’s Fall Prevention Program helps them to do.”

To learn more about Meals on Wheels Diablo Region’s Fall Prevention Program, visit https://www.mowdiabloregion.org/fall-prevention