Norovirus Infiltrates Illinois Nursing Homes
The Chicago Tribune recently reported that 129 nursing home patients have been diagnosed with norovirus at three un-named nursing homes in McHenry County. As authorities from the Illinois Department of Health investigate this norovirus outbreak, six patients have already been hospitalized for this illness. Norovirus is an illnesses that include nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and some stomach cramping. Some cases are also associated with low-grade fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, and a general sense of tiredness. The spread of norovirus can usually be stopped with good sanitation practices such as hand washing and disinfecting surfaces. The elderly and young are particularly...
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Brookdale Assisted Living Facility Fails To Learn From Mistakes: Dementia Patient Dies After Ingesting Detergent
In 2008 authorities from Florida regulatory agencies warned Homewood Residence, a Brookdale Senior Living facility, to secure areas of its kitchen and other areas of the facility that were accessible to residents with dementia. The warning came after dangerous products such as: coffee pots, curling irons and chemical products were found unsecured at the facility. Two years later-- not much has changed at this Brookdale assisted living facility. Authorities found similar problems during the investigation of the death of a 93-year-old resident at the facility. The elderly man was able to access the unsecured dishwasher and access the area...
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Food At Florida Nursing Homes & Hospitals Not Subject To Inspections
"Frightened' is the best way to describe my reaction to a news story regarding Florida's decision to end food preparation inspections at nursing homes and hospitals in the state. In the past, nursing homes and hospitals were inspected on a quarterly basis with respect to safe food handling. Budget cuts are the reason cited by state authorities for the hault in food-safety inspections. Similar food inspections at day care centers will continue and will be taken over by the Florida Department of Children and Families. Read more about this food safety issue involving Florida nursing homes and hospitals here....
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Elderly Nursing Home Patients Are Paticularly Susceptible To Illness Related To Contaminated Food
Older adults are particularly susceptible to food poisoning because as you get older, your immune system does not respond as quickly and as effectively to infectious organisms as when you were younger. In addition, many nursing home residents already have weakened immune systems due to age, illness, and disease, and their bodies cannot handle the added onslaught caused by food poisoning. For example, dehydration, which is a common and serious complication of food poisoning, is also a risk factor for the development of pressure sores, which can present a serious risk to nursing home residents. Therefore, nursing homes should take extra precautions...
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Admissions Suspended At An Emeritus Assisted Living Facility Following The Discovery Of: Medication Errors, Bed Sores & Falsified Medical Records
After discovering multiple health and safety problems, Florida officials have suspended the admission of new residents to Emeritus at Crossing Pointe-- a Florida Assisted Living Facility. A September inspection of Emeritus revealed: An 82-year-old patient who died after staff failed to provide her heart medication for four days Inaccurate resident counts by facility managers Residents with infected bed sores (also called decubitus ulcers, pressure ulcers or pressure sores) Neglected patients- some Alzheimer's patients had toe nails so long that they curved around their toes Falsified medical records Staff administering the wrong medications to patients that resulted in injury The documented...
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Food Safety
An 85-year-old woman died following a norovirus outbreak in a nursing home. The woman's death comes shortly after the deaths of 10 other nursing home residents related to gastroenteritis outbreaks. The norovirus outbreak in an Australian nursing homes demonstrates the susceptibility of the elderly to food born illness. There is no cure for people afflicted with norovirus. Rather, the symptoms need to be managed by increasing fluids, increasing electrolytes, monitoring for dehydration and careful observation to prevent overall weakness. Norovirus outbreaks are common in amongst people in closed or crowded quarters such as nursing homes or hospitals as the virus...
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