Key facts
- Lawsuits allege neglect at Arbors nursing homes led to preventable deaths from severe bedsores.
- Sam Frank Ray died from an infected bedsore after allegedly being left in the same position for extended periods.
- Lucy Garcia's estate filed a similar lawsuit alleging neglect led to her death from an infected bedsore.
- State inspectors have cited Arbors facilities for patient deaths and treatment errors.
- Since January 1, 2024, at least 11 lawsuits have been filed against Arbors facilities for negligence causing patient deaths.
- CMS has fined Arbors facilities 18 times totaling over $648,000 in the last three years.
Multiple lawsuits and regulatory inspections reveal a pattern of alleged neglect and medical errors at Arbors nursing homes in Ohio, leading to patient deaths and serious injuries.
One lawsuit filed by the family of Sam Frank Ray alleges he died from an infected bedsore that developed because staff failed to reposition him or take him to the toilet for 33 eight-hour shifts. His lawyers state he was left in the same position, increasing his infection risk, and that the bedsore progressed to expose his bone.
Similarly, a lawsuit filed by the estate of Lucy Garcia at another Arbors facility alleged her death in July 2024 was caused by an infected bedsore resulting from neglect. Her lawsuit stated that tissue on her backside died off, leaving an open wound exposed to feces and urine, leading to sepsis. Garcia's estate later dropped the lawsuit, indicating a potential private settlement.
Lawyers suing Arbors facilities claim operators minimize staffing to the bare minimum, increasing risks of falls, bedsores, infections, and patient escapes. Since January 1, 2024, at least 11 lawsuits have accused Arbors facilities of negligence or medical errors causing patient deaths. In the same period, state inspectors have cited three Arbors facilities for contributing to patient deaths through medical errors.
Beyond these cases, state health officials have documented other disturbing incidents at Arbors homes, including heat-related hospitalizations from a zoo trip, a forgotten ventilator application that nearly killed a patient, and residents going missing for days.
Administrators at several Arbors facilities deferred comments to Prestige Healthcare, the management company. A spokesperson for Prestige Healthcare declined to comment on specific questions, stating the company's position is "no comment." Attorneys for the company also did not respond to inquiries.
Accountability from regulators is described as inconsistent, as each facility operates under a unique company, with related entities owning the land and Prestige Healthcare managing operations. The Ohio Department of Health assesses violations individually and does not consider facilities as part of a larger chain. Over the past three years, CMS has fined Arbors facilities 18 times, totaling over $648,000. These fines are typically reduced by 35% if facilities agree not to contest them. The total fines represent a small fraction of the revenue Arbors facilities receive, with Medicaid payments alone exceeding $233 million over the last three calendar years.