'I want the state of California to start paying attention to what's going on inside these nursing homes.” Read part two of KPBSInvestigates investigation into a the record of abuse at Avocado Post Acute nursing home in El Cajon.
Avocado, citing the 256-bed facility’s failure to keep residents free of “abuse, neglect and exploitation.”, with the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services stating Avocado had “returned to substantial compliance.” Yet, records show that investigators continue to substantiate abuse and poor care at Avocado and CMS is now considering it for a program aimed at helping nursing homes with significant deficiencies.
“This beautiful man who pulled himself up by his bootstraps during the depression and made a life for himself,” Johnson-Komzelman said. “You want your dad to die peacefully.”In the early hours of Aug. 19, 2021, an Avocado caregiver found Bradley in his room vomiting blood and in respiratory distress. The autopsy report states Bradley died from strangulation — he had abrasions and contusions on his neck. The San Diego County Medical Examiner ruled Bradley’s death a homicide.
The lawsuit alleges that Avocado knew Jefferson had attacked patients at the nursing home before that day in August 2021, and that he refused to take his medication.CMS emailed the following statement in response to questions about conditions at Avocado: “The health and safety of nursing home residents is a top priority for the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. CMS continues to work closely with the state survey agency to monitor this facility.
“Mr. Jefferson should have never been placed in the same room with any patient without somebody in the room directly supervising him,” Fikes said. She said the nurse only mentioned there had been an “altercation” over a curtain the night before between Bradley and Jefferson.