Pasadena Committee to Review Elder Care Oversight Program

Pasadena’s Public Safety Committee will discuss the ongoing work of a specialized team created to improve conditions at Pasadena’s long-term care facilities during Wednesday’s Public Safety Committee meeting.

The Pasadena Elderly and Dependent Adult Liaisons team, known as PEDAL, was formed in August 2021 following emergency evacuations of two skilled nursing facilities the previous year. The Pasadena Fire Department handled those evacuations despite the city having no regulatory authority over such facilities.

A preliminary report by the Department of Planning and Community Development showed more than 3,000 residents live in over 100 skilled nursing, assisted living and long-term care facilities throughout Pasadena. The city has a higher per-capita population in these facilities compared to Los Angeles County overall.

The report said PEDAL brings together professionals from multiple city departments and partner organizations. The team includes representatives from the Public Health Department, Fire Department, Police Department, City Manager’s Office, City Attorney’s Office, Planning and Community Development Department, Wise & Healthy Aging, Huntington Health, and USC’s Keck School of Medicine.

Several Pasadena facilities have shown chronic operational problems that created life-threatening conditions for residents, according to the report. The city lacks licensing or regulatory authority over these facilities.

The team has conducted three four-hour training sessions for facility administrators, infection preventionists, directors of nursing and admissions coordinators. Recent training covered sepsis prevention, respiratory virus management, fire prevention and collaboration with ombudsman programs.

PEDAL works toward increased accountability among state and county regulatory agencies and expanded collaborative relationships with licensing agencies. The team also seeks to empower facility residents and their families to voice concerns about operations and conditions.

Current federal ratings show eight of the city’s skilled nursing facilities received three stars or higher from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Facilities not meeting the three-star threshold cited high numbers of health violations, poor quality measures and high staff turnover.

The Public Health Department’s long-term care facility support has relied exclusively on federal grant funding since 2020. Those grants were terminated in March, and the department is evaluating its ability to offer expanded facility support.

Partner organization Wise & Healthy Aging operates the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, a federally and state-mandated advocacy program for facility residents. Ombudsmen conduct unannounced visits, investigate complaints and mediate between residents, families and staff.

The Public Safety Committee meeting begins at 4 p.m. in City Council Chambers at City Hall.