Family Accuses Bay Area Nursing Facility of Hitting 87-Year-Old Grandma

The woman’s family placed her at the Smith Ranch Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center after suffering a stroke in January, according to KPIX5.

In Cantonese, she spoke about the alleged mistreatment and how she was hit by one of the staff members with a call light button, which resulted in bruising.

 

Virginie Huang, the granddaughter of the victim, said her mother reported the incident to the facility, but one staff suggested the patient may have caused the injuries to herself. Huang, however, was doubtful at the claim as the bruise showed up on her only working arm.

Huang originally posted a TikTok video on Feb. 13, asking for help after stating that the police initially refused to open an investigation.

“It was extremely heartbreaking, because I know that my grandmother is paralyzed in the left side of her body, and she can’t move by herself,” Huang told KPIX5. “So she can’t defend herself, if someone is hitting her.”

The grandmother also suffered three falls during her stay at the facility, one of them where she called for help for over an hour, but no one answered.

The family demanded an apology from the facility and hold the staff accountable for what happened. But Smith Ranch Skilled Nursing & Rehabilitation Center said in a statement they have now forwarded the details to the authorities for investigation.

“We do not condone any form of abuse,” the nursing home said. “All the staff at Smith Ranch are mandated reporters by law and are continuously trained in abuse prevention, identification and how to respond appropriately to allegations of abuse. All allegations of abuse are investigated thoroughly and reported to necessary authorities. Due to privacy laws and respect for our residents and employees, we cannot comment on any specific allegations.”

San Rafael Police Department said it has already assigned a detective to look into the case and that they will work with the Adult Protective Services and the Ombudsman during the investigation.

“If we can determine that we have probable cause to make an arrest in this case, that will happen,” the department added.

The family has already moved the woman to a different nursing facility in San Francisco and appears to be in better condition, both physically and mentally.

“The reason why people should care about this is because this could happen to anyone, this could happen to anyone’s grandparents, anyone’s parents or even you when you’re older,” Huang said. “And it is a terrifying, disgusting thing.”

Featured Image Screenshot via PIX CBS SF Bay Area