Nursing Home & Elder Abuse

• Project results on 75% reduction in bed sores

  Barry Doyle | July 25, 2007 8:00 AM | 1 CommentCook County, IL

  Researchers in New Jersey recently announced the results of a project which was intended to reduce the development of bed sores in patients in health care institutions. Bed sores are technically known as pressure ulcers and are caused by unrelieved pressure on the skin, usually on bony prominences. The unrelieved pressure results in tissue death, which causes pain for the patient and...

• Inadequate staff levels tied to falls

  Barry Doyle | July 23, 2007 9:00 AM | 0 CommentsCook County, IL

  A Rhode Island nursing home has been ordered to increase staffing levels in order to prevent residents from falling. A survey of the home resulted in immediate jeopardy findings by public health officials after they found several residents had fallen multiple times because of inadequate supervision due to low staff levels.At least three residents were injured as a result of falling, including...

• Many Pleasant Care Facilities Sell at Auction, Despite History of Nursing Home Violations

  Laura Blatt | July 20, 2007 11:26 PM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Twenty-one California nursing homes owned by the bankrupt Pleasant Care Corp. were sold at auction earlier this month, despite their history of violations and substandard care. The buyers included LifeHouse Retirement Properties, Bina Bhatia and HC Management."You won't see any cutbacks in care, although there might be changes made to improve efficiency," said the CEO of LifeHouse, Lou...

• Nursing Home Sexual Abuse

  Susy Owen | July 14, 2007 4:43 PM | 0 CommentsSanta Clarita, CA

  In a Utah case Jacob Bolith was booked on sexual abuse charges. He was accused of sexually assaulting an 85-year-old woman at a Salt Lake nursing home. The police say more and more people are now coming forward with similar charges."Detective Jared Wihongi says, "Some of the calls have involved people with elderly parents that for some reason or another didn't take seriously the complaints the...

• Avoid Muscle Weakness Ailment That Often Leads to Nursing Home Care

  Patricia Doherty | July 12, 2007 9:57 AM | 0 CommentsOrlando, FL

  The most common reasons senior citizens require nursing home care are muscle weakness, known as sarcopenia, osteoporosis and dementia, like Alzheimer's disease. While there has been publicity on osteoporosis and dementia, Americans know very little about Sarcopenia - age related loss of muscle mass. To minimize muscle loss as you age participate in strength training, eat a healthy diet, low...

• Preventing Nursing Home Abuse

  Susy Owen | July 06, 2007 6:26 PM | 0 CommentsSanta Clarita, CA

  It is sad to say that nursing home abuse and neglect is an even bigger problem that many may realize. The truth is, by both witness accounts and survey results it seems that the problem is underreported. When you take into consideration the rise in our elderly population and the fact that more and more elderly will seek nursing home care in the coming years, staff shortage is sure to add to the...

• Nursing Home Abuse Becomes an Ever Growing Problem

  Shapiro, Lewis & Appleton | July 05, 2007 1:00 PM | 0 CommentsNorfolk, Portsmouth & Hampton, VA

  According to the U.S. Health and Human Services Department, by the year 2030, 8.9 million people will be 85 or older. This is double the amount of elderly today. With this rise in population many will head to nursing homes for special care. However, a nursing shortage is sure to come with such an overwhelming increase in population. Neglect is the number one cause of nursing home abuse cases. A...

• Nursing Homes Get Rich While the Neglected Suffer

  Matt Christian | July 03, 2007 3:56 PM | 0 CommentsGreenville, SC

  A major factor in nursing home abuse cases is the fact that many nursing homes are underfunded and understaffed. The nursing homes consistently claim that they do not have the money to fund and appropriately run these homes but recent business trends show otherwise. The Carlyle Group announced yesterday that it is going to purchase Manor Care, a nursing home operator for $6.3 billion.Manor...

• Pleasant Care Bankrupt After Numerous Nursing Home Violations and Fines

  Laura Blatt | June 29, 2007 12:23 AM | 0 CommentsNovato, CA

  Last week, I wrote about Emmanuel Health Care, a California nursing home that was fined $80,000 in the death of one of its residents. Now, its parent corporation, Pleasant Care Corporation, is selling 30 California nursing homes, including Emmanuel, as part of a bankruptcy proceeding (Santa Cruz Sentinel, June 23, 2007). The auction will take place this coming Monday and Tuesday, July 2 and...

• Elder Abuse: Nursing Home Neglect Is a Widespread Problem

  Laura Blatt | June 28, 2007 6:21 PM | 1 CommentNovato, CA

  A nursing home is guilty of neglect when it fails to fulfill its duties to its residents. These obligations can range from providing special diets to taking a frail, elderly person to the toilet at appropriate times. Refusing to answer a resident's page or failing to call his or her doctor may also be neglect. A bedridden nursing home resident should be repositioned at least every two hours to...