I am writing about my experience with my mother, who resided at Eskaton Lodge in Cameron Park from March 2016 until her death on February, 2018. She was 102 years old when she died.
During the time my mother lived at Eskaton she sustained 8 separate documented falls. These falls resulted in a broken arm, bruises on her face and body, and serious lacerations that required lengthy follow-up care by a wound nurse and multiple trips to the Emergency Room and/or hospital. Her final fall was on January 28, 2018, where she was found early in the morning unconscious on the bathroom floor with a head wound that turned out to be fatal. The State of California Department of Social Services did a lengthy investigation after my call, and determined that out of 4 allegations, 1 was declared as "Substantiated": "Facility staff neglected resident resulting in multiple falls." The State issued a Type A Citation to Eskaton. Two remaining allegations were determined to be 'Unsubstantiated" stating "A finding that the complaint is Unsubstantiated means that although the allegation may have happened or is valid, there is not a preponderance of the evidence to prove that the alleged violation occurred. "
I was never personally called after my mother fell because my sister had formed the primary relationship with Eskaton, so I would only find out after her release from the hospital, or after I would visit my mother and see the bandages, or cast, or bruises and she would confess to another fall. After each of my mother's falls I called or wrote Eskaton to state my deep concern about my mother's safety and well-being. I felt like I had become a very unwelcome squeaky wheel, and was completely shut out of any conversation about my mother's care.
I visited my mother every Sunday for half a day, and sometimes during the week. I became alarmed at my mother's loss of weight, her depression, and her extreme lack of balance. Several times when I was in the room with her she careened forward or back and I dashed to get underneath her as she fell--I hurt myself on one of those falls. I would always tell whoever was on staff that this had happened. As my mother's weight went from 125 pounds upon her entry there to under 110 pounds and she all but stopped eating I talked to the person on staff at the time, and followed up with an email to the nursing staff asking if my mother could receive extra nutrition, but my email was never responded to. I also directly asked the nursing staff if my mother could be provided a protein shake for a snack, but I was ignored. I joined my mom upstairs for many meals, and watched her push her food around on her plate but refuse to eat but I never received even the courtesy of an answer from Eskaton about other sources of nutrition.
My mother often said she wished she could 'talk to someone'... privately, and uninvolved with Eskaton or our family. She said she wanted to feel a little more in control of her life, and to talk about her depression. I asked several times if that could be arranged for her. Somehow that never happened.
My mother's last days were spent almost entirely alone. I was at her bedside every night after 6 o'clock, where she had been left with no caretaker for several hours. Twice, during the last couple weeks of her life, I walked in to witness her shockingly standing up and trying to walk with no one in the room--pitching forward. I caught her by the waist one of those times, and frantically pressed the call button to get someone in to help us. Finally, her bed was blocked by furniture so she couldn't manage to get up and out... I have spent 30 years working in the medical field, and I know the kind of care my mother should have received had but did not get. I am so sorry I could not have helped her more at Eskaton.
Provider Response
We understand you're grieving and extend our condolences. We too were saddened by your mother's passing; our residents are so dear to us. As needed, our management team is available to discuss this matter with you directly, including further correcting any misunderstanding about the services we provided to your mother during her residence with us. Sites like Caring.com also offer grief support resources for family caregivers, should that be helpful to you as well.
