The state has shut down Chamberlain’s Residential Care Facility for the elderly, at 3252 Lucia Road in Eureka, and suspended the license of the home’s operator, Gina Chamberlain, accusing her of numerous health and safety code violations, including taking a client’s prescription narcotics for her own use.
The state’s “order of temporary suspension of license” was issued May 5, and the five residents of the six-client capacity home were relocated to other facilities before the home’s shutdown on May 8, says Michael Weston, spokesman for the Community Care Licensing Division of the state’s Department of Social Services.
In its complaint requesting the suspension of Chamberlain’s license to operate, the state alleges that Chamberlain not only took a client’s drugs for her own use, but also told a client’s nurse practitioner that the client was taking prescribed hydrocodone “several times a day for weeks” even though the client wasn’t; locked a client in a bedroom and blocked the door with a baby gate; failed to give a client medication properly; overcharged two clients, a husband and wife, by $13,100; cashed $52,400 worth of checks from a client’s checking account; and took a client’s car and Rolex watch.
The complaint requests that Chamberlain be prohibited “for the remainder of [her] life” from having anything to do with a state-licensed care facility.
Chamberlain has the right to appeal the suspension before an administrative law judge, says Weston. The Journal is trying to reach Chamberlain and will update this story as we learn more.
This article appears in The Slimmest of Margins.
Good for those people getting her shut down!
Ms. Chamberlin has been licensed nearly 20 years! Although her actions are despicable, they carve a familiar trail in the path of addiction. With so many large facilities now in Humboldt County, some of the smaller (more traditional) care homes for the elderly are taking whatever steps necessary to “hang on” to their residents. One vacancy in a home with capacity of six represents nearly 20% lost revenue to owner / operators who frequently live on the premises. Looking for a care home to place a loved one? Check staffing, food quality, amenities and past licensing reports. Unfortunately, care homes such as this are seen much less frequently these days by state licensing inspectors. The local long term care ombudsman office is there to assist consumers!
In 2012 CA hired more residential care home licensing staff. State Inspections in Humboldt county have actually increased in the last 2 years. The problems at this care home may not have been found if it was not for state inspections. The home closure and the reasons for it are very sad for the residents, their families and all involved. My heart goes out to them. Addiction is a terrible thing but is in no way an excuse for taking advantage of our seniors.
I am so sorry to read about this. When Chamberlains first opened their care home my loved one elected to follow Gina from a home where Ms. Chamberlain was working to her new facility. Grandma was extremely happy there. I and other loved ones dropped in, unannounced all hours of the day and evening hours. Not once was anything amiss. The place was clean, food was home made, healthy and tasty but more important there was a sense of community between Gina and her family and her clients. Strawberries and a small garden were planted for the clients pleasure, it was dog friendly. I am so sorry that this small loving facility changed over the years. Grandma has been gone for a long time now and I’m grateful she wasn’t there for the downfall of this once wonderful home. Drugs kill.
It was with the additional support of the local Long-Term Care Ombudsman program that helped protect these residents once it was found that money was being misappropriated, drugs were being re-filled and the residents were not getting the drugs, and other violations of resident rights. There is no local regulatory/governing agency any longer – office is located in Rohnert Park and they only seem to come up when a complaint if filed…facilities know this.. There is a check list on the Area 1 Agency on Aging page, Ombudsman program, that will give you a list of items to check while you review homes. Many of the local facilities are keeping residents beyond the traditional “assistance with activities of daily living”…check the number of “non-ambulatory” residents the facility is licensed for and then check to see how many staff are on at all times….licensing requirements only say “enough to meet the needs of the residents’…what happens in a fire when you have 15 non-ambulatory residents (wheelchairs, walkers, dementia, etc) with one staff person on site ….these are the types of questions you must ask before you place a family member in any facility…
Cops cultivate addiction, process, heal for money.more addiction, more cops , in eureka.