Rules Deemed Lax at Elder-Care Sites

By Christine McConville

Experts say the horrific abuse that allegedly occurred last week at a $5,500-a-month assisted-living center in Quincy is not uncommon among the vulnerable population in the loosely regulated industry.

“Beatings, rape, I’ve seen it all,” said North Reading attorney David Hoey, who specializes in elder-abuse cases. He noted assisted-living facilities, unlike nursing homes, receive no governmental subsidy, and therefore have little governmental oversight.

In the Quincy case, four elderly women were allegedly assaulted by Kara Murphy, a certified nursing assistant at the Atrium at Faxon Woods. Benchmark Assisted Living LLC of Wellesley owns the facility, which specializes in treating people with Alzheimer’s disease and other memory-loss conditions. The company took in $210 million in revenue in 2007.

Beaulieu called the type of alleged abuse “sadistic.”

“It really boils down,” she said, “to them not feeling that these people whom they are caring for are really people.”

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