A class-action lawsuit against Emeritus nursing home chain has been settled in favor of the plaintiffs. The facility in question was advertised as being staffed based on individual patient needs, when in reality staffing was decided by budget. Individual settlements on this case average around $500.
The Times-Standard discusses the suit.
The settlement includes former residents of the Sequoia Springs facility in Fortuna, now known as Brookdale Fortuna.
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Some 21,000 people are eligible to share in the settlement, individual amounts that could be about $500, Needham said.
Brookdale officials settled the lawsuit about Emeritus Senior Living’s computerized resident evaluation system, company spokeswoman Kristen Puckett said. Since the merger of the companies, that system has been phased out and is no longer in use.
“We denied all allegations and ultimately decided to resolve this case to put our focus on what matters most, the health and well-being of our residents,” Puckett said in an email.
Emeritus was accused of misrepresenting to residents that their facilities would be staffed according to the residents’ needs. Instead, staffing at the residential care homes was dictated by budgetary considerations, Needham said.
Brookdale Fortuna was staffed outside of government-regulated staffing requirements.
Photo by Brian Turner via Flickr CC License
