Committee to Hear From New City Cross-Departmental Group Working to Improve the Quality of Life for Seniors in Long-term Care Facilities

The Pasadena Elderly and Dependent Adult Liaisons (PEDAL) team, a cross-departmental working group established in 2021 by the City of Pasadena to help improve the quality of life for elders and dependent adults residing in long-term care facilities, will give an update of their ongoing work to the City Council’s Public Safety Committee, which meets on Wednesday, April 20.

Composed of representatives from the City Manager’s Office, City Attorney/Prosecutor’s Office, the Fire, Police, Public Health, Planning and Community Development Departments, Long-Term Care Ombudsman and Huntington Hospital, PEDAL has already  completed coordinated inspections at multiple long-term care facilities, skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities and has reported operational deficiencies observed to state and Los Angeles County regulatory agencies.

PEDAL is also actively addressing enforceable violations, and conducting outreach and education work via multiple media channels.

In Pasadena, over 1,000 people live in 15 nursing homes, and over 2,300 individuals live in about 100 local assisted living/residential care facilities.

The City of Pasadena does not license, regulate, or operate these facilities. Instead, the licensing agencies include the California Department of Public Health, Department of Social Services Community Care Licensing Division, and Los Angeles County Health Facilities Inspection Division.

With the PEDAL team, the City intends to take local action where possible to maintain the required standards at these facilities and advocate for improved regulation by state and county agencies.

PEDAL’s work plan, according to a preliminary presentation, involves the conduct of public dialogues and symposia, publication of informational and educational media, interdepartmental and inter-agency training, legislative advocacy and proactive task force inspections.

Before the PEDAL team was organized, the City saw more than 60 residents evacuated from Golden Cross Health Care in June 2020 after the skilled nursing facility’s license was suspended by the California Department of Public Health (CDPH). The suspension was a result of ongoing quality-of-care issues reported by the Pasadena Fire and Public Health Departments, and the local long-term care ombudsman.

Less than four months later, more than 30 residents were evacuated from Foothill Heights Care Center, also in Pasadena, due to excessively high indoor temperatures, again reported by City departments in response to resident complaints.

Aside from education and advocacy, and the inspection work the PEDAL team performs, the team is also preparing to start a Long-Term Care Facility Complaint Referral Portal, where long-term care facility residents and their families can submit complaints or inquiries online for action by the City and referral to state and county agencies.

Wednesday’s Public Safety Committee meeting begins at 4 p.m. and is virtually accessible through http://pasadena.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?publish_id=9 and www.pasadenamedia.org.

Public comments may be submitted through www.cityofpasadena.net/commissions/public-comment.

To know more about PEDAL and their work, visit www.cityofpasadena.net/pasadena-elderly-and-dependent-adult-liaisons-pedal/#enforcement-agencies.