A Tucson nursing home has been sued, accused of negligence and abuse in its treatment of two residents.
The claims are laid out in two separate lawsuits recently filed in Pima County Superior Court against Devon Gables Health Care Center, 6150 E. Grant Road.
An attorney for Devon Gables said the evidence in both cases will show that the nursing home did nothing wrong.
"It is an outstanding facility that's very well-run and caring," attorney Michael Ryan said Thursday.
"If I had my folks in need of a long-term care facility, I would definitely put them in Devon Gables without any hesitation," said Ryan, who is with the Phoenix law firm Broening, Oberg, Woods & Wilson.
Elfriedel Sitzman filed the most recent action against the nursing home Sept. 2. Sitzman, who lived at Devon Gables between Nov. 8 and Dec. 21, 2007, after suffering a stroke, says she was not given adequate care.
People are also reading…
The lawsuit says Sitzman did not get the assistance she needed to eat and plan her diet, and was at risk for malnutrition, weight loss and dehydration.
The lawsuit also says Sitzman broke her arm and suffered other injuries during a fall that could have been prevented.
The other lawsuit against Devon Gables was filed July 10 and, in addition to negligence and abuse, accuses the nursing home of wrongful death.
The family of Irma Smith, who was diabetic, says Devon Gables officials did not provide adequate care for Smith when she lived there during the summer of 2006. Smith died after falling and developing infections, including a pressure sore.
Her family says Smith also did not receive adequate assistance with eating and dietary planning, and accuses the nursing home of failing to adequately screen, evaluate and test for competence when selecting management, nurses and other personnel it employed at that time.
Smith's injuries "would not have occurred but for the utter and complete willful disregard by the defendants of their duties to Irma Smith," the lawsuit says.
Both civil actions were filed by the Phoenix law firm of Wilkes & McHugh.
Online review
To see a 2008 Star investigation of local nursing homes, visit go.azstarnet.com/ nursinghomes.
