An Atascadero nursing facility is facing a lawsuit over the death of an elderly client, whom attorneys claim died due to neglect, abuse, and poor hiring practices.

The suit, filed against Country Care Convalescent Hospital July 25, claims that the facility's poor practices and supervision led to the death of Leo Paul Landry, an elderly man suffering from dementia.

According to the lawsuit, Landry was transferred to the facility in 2014 after suffering a hip injury. Because of his injury, dementia, and the medications he was taking, Landry had a history of falls, something that his family and the facility were aware of. The lawsuit charges that the staff disregarded the information and warning from the family, which eventually lead Landry to fall several times.

In April of that year Landry developed pneumonia. Landry's condition worsened, but the lawsuit claims that staff did not report his change in condition. Instead of taking the appropriate medical steps, the staff members injected Landry with morphine, and he died shortly after, according to the lawsuit.

"The conduct of Country Care was and is shameful," Stephen Garcia, the attorney representing Landry's family, said in a written statement released shortly after the lawsuit was filed.

Country Care Convalescent Hospital is operated by Pacific Christian Senior Services. The company also operates the Atascadero Christian Community, an assisted living facility for seniors. The company did not respond to a request for comment on the lawsuit.

The suit against Country Care Convalescent Hospital marks the second time this month that a SLO County-based elderly care facility has been hit with a legal complaint over serious allegations.

On July 22, the Arroyo Grande Care Center, which has no affiliation with Country Care Convalescent Hospital, was sued over claims that a staff member sexually assaulted a 78-year-old Grover Beach woman. A statement from Arroyo Grande Care Center's parent company, Compass Health, expressed shocked over the allegation, which Compass said the woman's family never reported to the company. Compass said it was cooperating with an investigation into the allegations by Arroyo Grande Police.