Solano County Nursing Home Neglect: The Dangers of Resident Wandering

For families in Fairfield, Vallejo, and Vacaville, the discovery that a loved one has gone missing from an assisted living or nursing facility is a living nightmare. Residents in Solano County facilities who suffer from cognitive decline are among our most vulnerable citizens. When a facility allows a resident to wander into the street or off the property, they have breached the fundamental standard of care required by California law.

Our Solano County nursing home wandering lawyers have been representing individuals and families in cases of nursing home negligence for more than 20 years.

In the legal field, we distinguish between wandering (aimless movement within the facility) and elopement (leaving the facility boundaries). Both are symptoms of a failure in supervision. In Solano County, where facilities may be located near busy commercial zones or rural areas with irrigation ditches and uneven terrain, the risks are multifaceted.

When a resident elopes, it is a clear indicator of neglect. Neglect is defined as the failure of those in charge of an elder to provide that degree of care that a reasonable person in a like position would provide. For a memory-impaired resident, "reasonable care" must include constant monitoring.

California law requires Solano County facilities to mitigate wandering risks through:

• Environmental Controls: Fenced courtyards, disguised exits (such as murals over doors), and secure keypad entries.
• Staff Vigilance: Regular "rounding" or headcounts, especially during shift changes—the time when most elopements occur.
• Functional Technology: Ensuring that every resident at risk of wandering wears a functioning transmitter that triggers an alarm if they approach an exit.

Through our investigations at the Nursing Home Law Group, we have identified several recurring themes in Solano County elopement cases:

• Mechanical Failures: Doors that don't latch properly or batteries in monitoring bracelets that have died and were never replaced.
• The "Tailgating" Phenomenon: Residents walking out directly behind a delivery driver or a family member who is exiting the building, because no staff member was stationed at the front desk.
• Ignoring History: Often, a resident has a "near miss" (found in the parking lot) that is never documented. When the second, fatal elopement occurs, the facility claims it was "unpreventable." Our lawyers use discovery to find those hidden "near miss" records.

The Nursing Home Law Group has been representing individuals impacted by elder abuse and neglect for more than 20 years. We specialize in investigating the hidden layers of facility mismanagement. Whether the facility is a small residential care home in Vacaville or a large corporate nursing center in Vallejo, our team has a long history of success in suing nursing homes throughout the State of California.

If your family is dealing with the aftermath of a wandering incident, do not let the facility convince you it was "just a part of the disease." Memory impairment is a reason for increased care, not an excuse for neglect.

Contact the Nursing Home Law Group to speak with an expert legal content specialist and trial attorney. We will investigate the facility, secure the evidence, and hold them accountable.