San Mateo senior care site named in wrongful death suit

The woman fell again Feb. 19 and two days later was found on the floor of her apartment bleeding from the head and complaining of pain, the suit states.

When the woman’s daughter went to Atria Park at 11 p.m. the only caregiver at the site had to leave the 86-year-old to open the door, the suit states. The daughter was asked to stay overnight to oversee her mother’s care, according to the suit.

The elderly woman was discharged to a skilled nursing site and later placed on hospice. She lived at Atria from February 2018 to July 2018.

Mike Mejia, senior vice-president for Kentucky-based Atria Senior Living, said in an email Tuesday that “The health, safety and well-being of residents who make their home with us is our highest priority.”

“Atria has a long record of providing quality care and services at the highest level,” Mejia said. “In California alone, we operate 45 senior living communities that serve more than 4,000 families each day.”

“While we are unable to comment on pending litigation, we take matters like this very seriously,” he said. “We are committed to working with the family to resolve any issues they might have.”

Attorney Kathyrn Stebner, who is representing the family, said a California Department of Social Services investigation into Atria Park of San Mateo substantiated allegations about the senior living site failing to provide a safe environment.

The elderly woman suffered falls and injuries within four months, according to the 2019 investigation available on the state agency’s website.

Atria representative Mejia said: “We fully cooperated with the Department of Social Services as it investigated these complaints.”

“They found a majority to be unsubstantiated,” Mejia said. “We disagreed with their conclusion on the two substantiated complaints and filed an appeal with the department in August 2019. The department has not yet ruled on the appeal. As always, we remain committed to working with them to resolve this matter.”

Attorney Stebner said she has been filing cases about elderly care since 1987.

“I fear it’s getting worse,” she said.

Business models and high expectations of a return on investments in corporations providing senior living care explain the deteriorating status, said Stebner, who spoke about a “silver tsunami” of older people requiring care.

According to the corporate website, Atria Senior Living operates independent living, assisted living, supportive living and memory care communities in more than 215 locations in 27 states and seven Canadian provinces.

More than 21,000 older people reside at Atria sites and more 14,800 employees work there, according to the website.

ryan@smdailyjournal.com

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Note to readers: This story has been changed to correct a mistake. It was the woman's daughter, not her mother, who visited.