Congresswoman Chu Calls for Probe into Kei-Ai COVID Deaths

Judy Chu at Kansha Obon 3

Rep. Judy Chu (D-Pasadena) has called for a multi-level investigation into the COVID-19 deaths at Kei-Ai Los Angeles, owned by Pacifica Companies.

Kansha Obon 3 to Commemorate Seniors Who Died of COVID at Pacifica Facilities

KO2 - Rafu Shimpo

Rafu Shimpo 10/01/2022 On Saturday, Oct. 8, Save Our Seniors Network will hold “Kansha (Gratitude) Obon 3,” which will commemorate 139 seniors who died of COVID-19 in two Pacifica Co.-owned facilities, Kei-Ai L.A. and Kei-Ai South Bay. The event will take place from 7 to 9 p.m. in the plaza of the Japanese American National … Read more

Community groups to honor Sakura ICF Senior Relocatees

(article to be published in Rafu Shimpo) YOKU GANBATTE KUREMASHITA!  SAKURA RELOCATEES! One year ago approximately 90 residents, mostly Japanese and JA women in their 80s and 90s, were evicted from Pacifica’s Sakura Intermediate Care Facility, to make way for apartments and a parking lot. JA community organizations will honor all relocatees and their families … Read more

Broken elevators and cockroach infestations: Residents protest owner of Chinatown senior building

Cathay Manor seniors and supporters continue to put pressure on local and Federal government officials and the judicial system to bring oversight into the misuse of public funds by slumlord Don Toy. By CBSLA Staff March 29, 2022 / 12:07 PM / CBS Los Angeles Chinese language press coverage: http://video.sinovision.net/?id=67179&mobile=yes 

Rafu Shimpo Publishes SOSN Response to Newsom Veto of AB 279

We, members of the statewide and national Save Our Seniors Network, are outraged at your Oct. 7, 2021, veto of Assembly Bill 279.

AB 279 was straightforward urgency legislation to protect seniors. It received an overwhelming, bipartisan 91 “ayes” to 10 “nos” (95%) cumulative vote in the Legislature, and was determined by both the Assembly and Senate Committees on Appropriations to have negligible fiscal impact.

This bill was designed to prevent involuntary, medically non-necessary transfers of residents from an intermediate care facility (ICF) or a skilled nursing facility (SNF), and to halt significant reductions in services thereat, during the COVID-19 state of emergency.

Newsom Vetoes Bill That Sought to Block Nursing Home Evictions During Pandemic

RAFU STAFF REPORT | OCTOBER 9, 2021 Read the entire Rafu Shimp report here: https://rafu.com/2021/10/newsom-vetoes-bill-that-sought-to-block-nursing-home-evictions-during-pandemic/ David Monkawa and Traci Imamura, representing Save Our Seniors, said the governor had chosen to side with Pacifica over the elderly residents, many of whom had been incarcerated in concentration camps during World War II. SOS claimed that there have … Read more

State health department blasted over nursing home oversight – Oct. 5 CA Assembly Committee on Health Hearing on Nursing Care

From CalMatters.org, by Jocelyn Wiener October 6, 2021: Read the article here:https://calmatters.org/health/2021/10/nursing-homes-oversight-california-hearing/ Democratic Assemblymember Al Muratsuchi of Los Angeles, who introduced legislation earlier this year to address some of these issues, also grilled Dunham about the department’s performance in caring for California’s most vulnerable residents..  “What I’m hearing is a lengthy history, that goes back … Read more

Hospice reforms to become law after Times investigation reveals widespread fraud, abuse

Los Angeles Times: By Kim Christensen, Ben Poston Oct. 4, 2021 8:03 PM PT https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2021-10-04/hospice-reforms-law-fraud-abuse-times-investigation Newsom signs SB 664 and AB 1280 into law. “Decades of unchecked growth in the California hospice industry will come to a halt Jan. 1, when a moratorium on new licenses takes effect along with reforms aimed at curbing widespread fraud … Read more

AB 279 Advances, but Late for ICF Seniors

August 30, 2021 article in laist by Josie Huang: https://laist.com/news/housing-homelessness/ca-legislature-passes-covid-ban-transfers-for-senior-home-residents The fight of the Sakura ICF seniors and their families to stay in the only bilingual/bi-cultural ICF for Japanese American and Japanese seniors is what inspired the crafting of AB 279. Unfortunately, Pacifica Companies succeeded in evacuating all of the seniors from the ICF prior … Read more

State Senate, Assembly Pass Bill Blocking Nursing Home Evictions During Pandemic

https://rafu.com/2021/08/state-senate-assembly-pass-bill-blocking-nursing-home-evictions-during-pandemic/ August 26, 2021 SACRAMENTO — AB 279, a bill that would halt evictions and transfers in nursing homes during a pandemic, passed the State Senate on Monday with a decisive bipartisan supermajority ovote of 32-3. Introduced by Assemblymembers Al Muratsuchi (D-Torrance) and Miguel Santiago (D-Los Angeles), AB 279 would impact the Pacifica Companies, owners of … Read more