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October 5, 2013
Kaiser Permanente Hospital
Irvine, CA
Subject: Mistreatment of Henry O. Valles, Age 93, weight 90 pounds
This is a chronological series of events that helped to downgrade Henry’s health rather than improve it as was always expected. I have spent countless nights, awake thinking of my helpless Dad in the hands of extremely cruel people who were supposed to help him. What had happened earlier that evening. After dinner Henry went to his room and lay down because he wasn’t feeling well, his wife of almost 71 years Dora remained at the dinner table finishing her dinner. My husband was sitting in the living room watching TV when he saw my Mom get up and start to walk to the kitchen a few steps away. Dora wasn’t able (at 88) to walk on her own. She had taken two maybe three steps when she fell backwards striking her head on the wood floor.
Paramedics were called and Dora was taken to the nearest Emergency room at Mission Hospital for evaluation; I went along, following in my car. While we were at the ER my father became much worse. The on duty nurse was called and came an hour or so later. After a quick evaluation
it was decided my Dad should go to Kaiser for treatment of his high feverand vomiting. The nurse was ill-equipped to do anything other than give him morphine. He was sick not in pain. She was truly an “Angel of Death”.
December 27th Henry was taken by ambulance to the Kaiser Hospital (where he had been a patient several times before) in Irvine after falling ill with a high temperature and vomiting. He stayed in the ER all night because there were no rooms (beds) for him. No treatment was given, no fluids or medicines nor was he helped to the bathroom. He wasn’t fed or tended to at all. He was left alone. When he was taken to Kaiser he was alert, had no difficulty with speech and was of sound mind. He was aware of his surroundings and what was happening to him. Henry was a very quite and gentle person.
December 28th Henry was moved to a bed and forcibly put into a “Straight Jacket”. Remember Henry is 93 and weighs about 90 pounds. A straight jacket, WHY????
December 29th Henry is put in a straight jacket again. When the attending nurse was asked if he was a problem she answered “NO”. So we ask a profound WHY did this happen and who was responsible? I arrived at the hospital around 11am and found my Dad was still in the straight jacket, he had no blankets on him, half naked, no water and no food
What we didn’t know at the time was Henry’s right shoulder was seriously damaged by the rough handling putting him into a straight jacket. Henry had no way to call for help and obviously no one was looking after him or this never would have or could have happened with proper supervision. All that was necessary was to put up the bed railings; he had them at home and was no problem. Adding to his torment he couldn’t see the TV or reach the call button. He was left as a prisoner not a patient. This was an obvious case of elderly abuse.
You have no idea how this treatment changed him, shortened his life and left him damaged and not repairable. Henry was the gentlest man you would ever know, how medical professionals who are responsible for human life could take such actions against an elderly person in your hospital. Who was watching the store, who was responsible for treating this wonderful person so badly? He was abused mentally and physically by the Kaiser staff. Was the reason he was treated with indifference was to let him die. Not to spend any of the Kaiser money on him he’s going to die sooner or later. You wouldn’t feed him or hydrate him or treat him but you would put him in a “Straight Jacket” so he wouldn’t be any trouble and leave him unattended. What could he do at 93, fight you off? He couldn’t reach the call button, you made sure of that. What wonderful human beings you had on staff. He was a helpless 94 year old man who was sick and you ignored him and treated him inhumanely.
One other note, the Doctor on call knew my Dad was a hospice patient and even when asked to care for him they did nothing, he was ignored and restrained for no good reason.
We truly believe if he had been properly cared for he may still be with us today. When I brought him home from Kaiser he was never the same, he recovered from his illness but not the horrible treatment he received from Kaiser. Henry O. Valles passed away on February 13, 2013. Henry, my Father should never have had to endure the mistreatment and humiliation Kaiser bestowed on him. What a disgrace to the medical profession.
This horrible memory will stay with me and my family forever. My Dad was a wonderful, loving person who would never hurt anyone for any reason. To see him be abused this way and come home a different person hurts my heart in a way these awful people at Kaiser will never know because they obviously don’t have one.
Arlene Valles Fee and Raymond Fee
San Clemente, CA
October 5, 2013
Kaiser Permanente Hospital
Irvine, CA
Subject: Mistreatment of Henry O. Valles, Age 93, weight 90 pounds
This is a chronological series of events that helped to downgrade Henry’s health rather than improve it as was always expected. I have spent countless nights, awake thinking of my helpless Dad in the hands of extremely cruel people who were supposed to help him. What had happened earlier that evening. After dinner Henry went to his room and lay down because he wasn’t feeling well, his wife of almost 71 years Dora remained at the dinner table finishing her dinner. My husband was sitting in the living room watching TV when he saw my Mom get up and start to walk to the kitchen a few steps away. Dora wasn’t able (at 88) to walk on her own. She had taken two maybe three steps when she fell backwards striking her head on the wood floor.
Paramedics were called and Dora was taken to the nearest Emergency room at Mission Hospital for evaluation; I went along, following in my car. While we were at the ER my father became much worse. The on duty nurse was called and came an hour or so later. After a quick evaluation
it was decided my Dad should go to Kaiser for treatment of his high feverand vomiting. The nurse was ill-equipped to do anything other than give him morphine. He was sick not in pain. She was truly an “Angel of Death”.
December 27th Henry was taken by ambulance to the Kaiser Hospital (where he had been a patient several times before) in Irvine after falling ill with a high temperature and vomiting. He stayed in the ER all night because there were no rooms (beds) for him. No treatment was given, no fluids or medicines nor was he helped to the bathroom. He wasn’t fed or tended to at all. He was left alone. When he was taken to Kaiser he was alert, had no difficulty with speech and was of sound mind. He was aware of his surroundings and what was happening to him. Henry was a very quite and gentle person.
December 28th Henry was moved to a bed and forcibly put into a “Straight Jacket”. Remember Henry is 93 and weighs about 90 pounds. A straight jacket, WHY????
December 29th Henry is put in a straight jacket again. When the attending nurse was asked if he was a problem she answered “NO”. So we ask a profound WHY did this happen and who was responsible? I arrived at the hospital around 11am and found my Dad was still in the straight jacket, he had no blankets on him, half naked, no water and no food
What we didn’t know at the time was Henry’s right shoulder was seriously damaged by the rough handling putting him into a straight jacket. Henry had no way to call for help and obviously no one was looking after him or this never would have or could have happened with proper supervision. All that was necessary was to put up the bed railings; he had them at home and was no problem. Adding to his torment he couldn’t see the TV or reach the call button. He was left as a prisoner not a patient. This was an obvious case of elderly abuse.
You have no idea how this treatment changed him, shortened his life and left him damaged and not repairable. Henry was the gentlest man you would ever know, how medical professionals who are responsible for human life could take such actions against an elderly person in your hospital. Who was watching the store, who was responsible for treating this wonderful person so badly? He was abused mentally and physically by the Kaiser staff. Was the reason he was treated with indifference was to let him die. Not to spend any of the Kaiser money on him he’s going to die sooner or later. You wouldn’t feed him or hydrate him or treat him but you would put him in a “Straight Jacket” so he wouldn’t be any trouble and leave him unattended. What could he do at 93, fight you off? He couldn’t reach the call button, you made sure of that. What wonderful human beings you had on staff. He was a helpless 94 year old man who was sick and you ignored him and treated him inhumanely.
One other note, the Doctor on call knew my Dad was a hospice patient and even when asked to care for him they did nothing, he was ignored and restrained for no good reason.
We truly believe if he had been properly cared for he may still be with us today. When I brought him home from Kaiser he was never the same, he recovered from his illness but not the horrible treatment he received from Kaiser. Henry O. Valles passed away on February 13, 2013. Henry, my Father should never have had to endure the mistreatment and humiliation Kaiser bestowed on him. What a disgrace to the medical profession.
This horrible memory will stay with me and my family forever. My Dad was a wonderful, loving person who would never hurt anyone for any reason. To see him be abused this way and come home a different person hurts my heart in a way these awful people at Kaiser will never know because they obviously don’t have one.
Arlene Valles Fee and Raymond Fee
San Clemente, CA
October 5, 2013