Response to Terri Jones, manager of Santa Cruz Pleasant Care’s letter to the editor

Although I myself have been very upset and written negatively about the previous owners and Pleasant Care Corporation itself, I have noticed a difference in care since new management. Patients no longer wander our streets confused and unattended and now seem to be attended during there outings. I no longer have to assist them when they flee, are stuck in traffic, or lost. This is a major improvement in a very short time. I hope this is not just due to the pressure put on by the bankruptcy, negligent care, and 4 deaths acorss alifornia, all at the hands of one corporation, Pleasant Care.

The Sentinel should have interviewed Terri Jones first. Instead, they gave Rotkin and City officials all the time they wanted. Rotkin and the County have ignored commission reports and suggestions additionally making false promises since 1994. Lack of skilled nursing beds in this county and conditions is far from new news. The issues are larger then one facility.

I blame Pleasant Care Corporation for the negligence, elder abuse, 4 deaths and 160 citations it has received throughout California. However, Terri Jones, you are not Pleasant Care Corporation. Maybe as a smaller enterprise, you will fair better.
Are you Terri Jones separate from Pleasant Care Corporation? "Under new management" doesn't really answer that question.
I applaud your efforts if you are just an investor and not part of a huge corporation. Had the newspaper done their job I would know that.

I hope to continue to see better care at Pleasant Care. If you are truly planning to keep the current amount Medi-Cal and Medi-Care patients and do it with dignity -- more power to you. If those are your true intentions, and you have no relationship with the previous corporation, I hope that you pass the Dept. of Health, Medicare and other hurdles yet to come.

I disagree with making money off such things, but it is we as citizens that must demand a different system, one that does not make money off the backs of our disabled and poor. We can have a socialized medicine in the United States, just like our Fire Dept, Police, Library, Public Schools, Parks, etc. In the mean time, shutting down beds that are badly needed is not the way to go. If what you wrote is true, I realize you are taking a risk in this venture, and for that, you should also be applauded.

I disagree with making money off suffering. The reason Santa Cruz Pleasant Care was removed from the auction is no one thought ANYONE would buy it. If you can provide better care and do it within the current system, you have my vote, at least until we stop this madness and nobody makes a dime off the suffering of others. I do not mean skilled workers whose job is to ease suffering. I mean the few that line their pockets, provided horrible care only to walk away when they are discovered to be providing less then adequate care. If I were found negligent in a death, I would go to prison. This corporation was found negligent in two deaths in just the last few weeks, and if history repeats itself, it is doubtful they will even pay their fines.

Regardless of the outcome of Pleasant Care in Santa Cruz, we have a major problem in lack of beds and quality of care for our elders, poor and disabled.

I hope the Sentinel will do a sit down interview with you, it would make for real news with the facts we as citizens need to know.

I hope us as Americans do whatever is necessary and DEMAND health care for all. The rest of the western civilized world has it, its about time to stop asking and start demanding in whatever way is necessary. We demand by stop giving the government what it wants, our money. IF we could unit and ALL stop buyingg anything every thursday, we would have health care in a year.