Wrongful death lawsuit names Santa Fe Senior Living Facility

Making the realization that you can no longer care for a loved one at home is not easy. Choosing the right senior living or assisted care facility can be a difficult decision. You want to make sure that your loved one is being placed in a safe, secure, and hospitable facility. You also want to make sure that your loved one’s health care needs will be met.

Pacifica Senior Living had a history of violations

When Taylor Selby moved his father with Alzheimer’s into Pacifica Senior Living, they assured him Terry Selby would receive the best of care. The facility was expensive, boasted of great amenities and had large, spacious rooms.

What wasn’t listed on the care facility’s glowing website is the list of infractions the facility was receiving from the New Mexico State Health Department. The citations included:

• Failure to report patient falls and injuries
• Physical restraint of dementia patients
• Improper administration of medications
• Insufficient training of staff

Terry Selby’s insufficient care probably cost him his life

Terry Selby fell one night and got a bump on his head. While the fall was noted, he was returned to bed. Two weeks later, Selby complained of pain and was unable to get up from the floor. He had bruising all over his body. The reports show he was administered Tylenol.

His breathing, appetite and demeanor changed after that night. A month after the initial fall, Terry Selby died. The coroner’s examination stated that he’d likely died from internal bleeding from the initial trauma to his head. He had been bleeding internally for over a month.

Selby case illustrates issue with New Mexico’s nursing homes

Santa Fe’s aging population is growing faster than all of New Mexico. The state also has one of the largest aging populations in the nation according to census data.

The nursing facilities that accept low income patients are some of the worst in the country. While Pacifica is a private facility, it too had a history of poor care and multiple citations.

According to Taylor Selby, Terrydidn’t need a lot of care. He could still bathe and feed himself and he remembered family members. He still had quality of life and could have enjoyed many more years.

If your loved one has experienced improper care a senior care facility you may want to consult an attorney who focuses on personal injury and wrongful death.