When it comes to selecting a nursing home, assisted living facility — or even a hospital, to care for a loved one, the selection process can be difficult because of the incredible array of information. While there is no shortage of websites available that boast all sorts of information, I find much of it to… Continue Reading
Tag Archives: nursing home
Happy Fourth Of July From The Nursing Homes Abuse Blog
Posted in National Nursing Home IssuesHappy 4th of July! As with all holidays, it’s important to remember friends and relatives who may be unable to join in the fun due to illness or immobility. Take a few moments out of your day and visit— or at least call– your family in a nursing home or assisted living facility.
How Do I Begin The Search For Care Options?
Posted in Help For Residents & FamiliesI’ve been focusing some recent Nursing Homes Abuse Blog entries regarding using various web resources for the selection of a nursing home or assisted living facility. We’ve spent a fair amount of time discussing the resources available via: states’ Department of Health, court websites and medicare, but there are many privately run sites that provide… Continue Reading
Longer Hours For Nurses Usually Translates To Poor Patient Care
Posted in Medical MalpracticeA recent study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in conjunction with the University of Maryland School of Nursing confirms what many people have long suspected– tired nurses are more likely to make mistakes when it comes to patient care. In researching this conclusion, 633 hospital nurses were evaluated in North Carolina… Continue Reading
Medical Facilities Are Not Doing Enough To Prevent Pressure Ulcers On Patients’ Heels
Posted in Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure Ulcers, Hospital Bed SoresSurprisingly, heel pressure sores are poised to overtake the buttocks as the most common area of the body where pressure sores develop. While the underlying causes of heel-related pressure sores remain similar to their peers: mmobility Friction Shear Unrelieved pressure These factors combined with the physical structure of the foot make the heel area particularly… Continue Reading
Is Your Nursing Home Making you Sick? Long-term Care Facilities Provide An Ideal Environment For Communicable Diseases
Posted in National Nursing Home IssuesOvercrowding is a common problem and complaint at many nursing home facilities. These facilities house large numbers of elderly residents, often in close proximity to each other, creating the ideal environment for dangerous outbreaks of communicable diseases. Communicable diseases are diseases that spread from person to person (contagious, infectious). These diseases are caused by germs (fungi, viruses, bacteria,… Continue Reading
Bed Sore Prevention May Require Nursing Homes To Obtain Pressure Relieving Devices For Their Patients
Posted in Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure UlcersToday marks the 6th entry in the collaborative series I am doing with David Terry regarding the Six Common Causes of Bed Sore & What Caregivers Can Do To Improve Care. For this final entry David addresses the use of pressure relieving devices to combat the development of bed sores. As a lawyer who sees… Continue Reading
Dehydration & The Development Of Bed Sores In Nursing Home And Hospital Patients
Posted in Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure Ulcers, DehydrationIn the first part of my collaborative series with attorney David Terry, I will address the relation of dehydration with the development of bed sores (or pressure sores, pressure ulcer or decubitus ulcers– whatever you prefer to call them). Simply put: dehydration occurs when a person does not receive enough liquids though eating, drinking or… Continue Reading
Insight On The State Of Nursing Homes From The Director Of Michigan Disability Rights Coalition
Posted in National Nursing Home IssuesThe most recent portion of my attempt to get insights on the state of nursing homes comes from Norm DeLisle, the Executive Director of Michigan Disability Rights Coalition. Norm has an extensive background advocating for seniors in Michigan. Thanks Norm! Who are you and what type of work do you do? My name is Norm… Continue Reading
Insight On The Nursing Home Industry From A Registered Nurse
Posted in National Nursing Home IssuesThis is the first in a series of interviews I have done with professionals in the medical, legal and caregiving communities related to the current state of nursing homes in the United States. I am always in favor of getting different perspectives from professionals as to their perceptions and suggestions. I hope you find these… Continue Reading
$5 Million In Punitive Damages Awarded To Widow In Bed Sore Case Against Nursing Home & Hospital
Posted in Bed Sore Lawsuit, Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure Ulcers, Hospital Bed SoresA Philadelphia jury awarded $5 million in punitive damages to the widow of a man who died from bed sores he developed during a hospitalization and then worsened during a subsequent nursing home admission. The case, believed to be the first of its kind in terms of awarding punitive damages against a nursing home… Continue Reading
Children In Nursing Homes: Truly The Most Vulnerable
Posted in Children In Nursing Homes, Group Homes, Foster Care & Day Care, Day Care Liability, NeglectMany families are forced to institutionalize their disabled children in nursing homes because of many states don’t have the resources to pay for in-home care. This puts parents in the difficult position of funding expensive home care on their own or having their child live in a nursing home, surrounded by elderly adults, and many… Continue Reading
An Inspirational Story Of A Young Man Who Regained His Independence After Living In A Nursing Home
Posted in National Nursing Home IssuesNot all nursing home patients are elderly! A blog-reader sent me this inspirational video of Kenny, a 34-year-old man who now lives relatively independently after spending 17 years in a nursing home. Kenny suffered a cerebral hemorrhage as a child that left him confined to a wheelchair, but has not stopped him from enjoying life…. Continue Reading
Happy New Year From The Nursing Homes Abuse Blog!
Posted in National Nursing Home IssuesHappy 2010! Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year to all of our readers. Thank you for making 2009 a busy and exciting year for me. Through this blog, I was fortunate to meet many of you in person or via email. Although most families and caregivers contact me after a… Continue Reading
Despite Their Avoidability, Bed Sores Continue To Plague Nursing Home & Hospital Patients In All Demographics
Posted in Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure Ulcers, Osteomyelitis, SepsisAlthough the news regarding the horrific physical and emotional impact of bed sores (also called decubitus ulcers, pressures sores or pressure ulcers) surely is on all respectable medical professionals radar screens, bed sores in nursing homes and hospitals continue to plague individuals in all demographics. In order to improve patient care, bed sore prevention must be… Continue Reading
Golden Living Partners With Microsoft To Help Manage Patient Medical Records
Posted in Assisted Living Facilities, Golden Living, National Nursing Home IssuesHave you ever tried to read a nursing home patient’s chart? Were you able to read everything? If so, please shoot me an email, because I surely have a difficult time sorting through many entries in charts. A new collaboration between Golden Living and Microsoft may help to improve not just the legibility of medical… Continue Reading
Temp Workers Becoming An Increasing Threat To Nursing Home Patients’ Safety
Posted in Nursing Home StaffAs if we need another reason to be concerned over nursing home patient safety, an article in the L.A. Times on temporary nurses in hospitals and nursing homes will surely make you cringe. A desire to run a streamlined operation and the inherent uncertainly of required staffing levels has resulted in a booming temporary staffing… Continue Reading
Why do nursing homes describe pressure sores according to ‘stages’?
Posted in Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure Ulcers, Frequently Asked Questions, Stages of Bed Sores“What do nursing homes describe pressure sores according to stages?” -Edith Phoenix, AZ Nursing homes and hospitals use a four stage scale to describe, monitor and treat pressure sores (also called bed sores, pressure ulcers or decubitus ulcers). By categorizing pressure sores, according to standardized characteristics, a sense of uniformity can be established amongst all… Continue Reading
Autopsies May Help Families Determine If Their Loved One Was A Victim Of Nursing Home Neglect Or Abuse
Posted in Bed Sores, Pressure Sores, Decubitus Ulcers & Pressure Ulcers, Dehydration, Litigation, Malnutrition, Wrongful DeathDeciding whether to have an autopsy performed on a loved one is indeed a very personal decision for a family to make following a death. An autopsy can help a family get answers to not only the cause of death, and in the case of potential nursing home negligence, what– if any, errors may… Continue Reading
How do I get a copy of medical records from a nursing home?
Posted in Frequently Asked Questions"How do I get a copy of medical records from a nursing home?" – Rhonda P., Sacramento, CA One of the most important steps in determining if a cause of action exists against a nursing home or hospital is to review the medical records. The records will help determine what– if any– mistakes were made… Continue Reading
Study Reinforces The Need To Seek Out ‘Non-Profit’ Facilities When Selecting A Nursing Home For A Loved One
Posted in Selecting a Nursing HomeA study by Canadian researchers reported that non-profit nursing homes provide better care than for-profit nursing homes. The study reviewed the results from 82 studies from Canada and the United States conducted from 1965 through 2003. Forty of these studies revealed that the non-profit facilities provided better care, while three studies revealed that for-profit homes… Continue Reading
Illinois Nursing Home That Turned ‘Blind Eye’ To Sexual Assaults Now Faces Fines
Posted in Illinois Nursing HomesThe LaSalle County Nursing Home is a medium-sized 99 bed nursing home facility in Ottawa, Illinois. On June 6, 2009, the Illinois Department of Public Health (“IDPH”) released a report following an investigation, revealing that a male resident at LaSalle County had molested ten female residents. LaSalle County now faces fines from authorities. The IDPH… Continue Reading
Authorites Suspend Admission Of New Patients At Life Care Nursing Home After Authorities Discover Conditions That Threaten Patient Safety
Posted in Nursing Home StaffOn July 31, 2009, the Tennessee Department of Health suspended any new resident admissions to Life Care Center of Athens nursing home due to violations. Life Care Center of Athens is a large 128 bed nursing home facility located in Athens, TN. The Department Commissioner can suspend admissions to a nursing home if conditions are… Continue Reading
Are nursing home patients protected under federal law?
Posted in Frequently Asked Questions"Are nursing home patients protected under federal law?" -Tom, Edina, Minnesota Although many nursing home patients frequently feel trapped within the situation they are currently in, nursing home patients actually have many rights granted to them under federal law. Federal law empowers nursing home patients to make decisions with respect to their medical treatment… Continue Reading