Nursing Home & Elder Abuse

• Specific Allegations of Abuse

  Lauren Ellerman | December 19, 2007 2:00 PM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Because of our duty of confidentiality, we cannot blog about many case details. We can't share statements made by nurses, unless they are public record. Well, here is a public record about nursing home abuse and neglect, that is almost too awful to believe. Faye Clark, a nurse aide at Heritage Hill in Big Stone Gap, Virginia, had her license revoked in August after the board found her guilty of...

• Alzheimer's Patients Deserve Better!

  Dan Frith | December 14, 2007 6:06 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  In the last several weeks there have been reports in the news that many nursing homes in America are over-prescribing antipsychotics to residents who suffer from Alzheimer's disease. The medications include Seroquel, Risperdal, and Haldol.On December 12, 2007, letters to the editor of the ever conservative Wall Street Journal (WSJ) contained several readers' comments on their experiences with...

• Medicare / Medicaid and nursing homes

  Lauren Ellerman | December 10, 2007 9:14 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  We know it is confusing... but remember it this way. Medicaid is a state program for low income families - it is AID for those in need. Medicare is health benefits for older Americans - CARE for those who are 65/66 or older. Probably 95% of our clients are either on Medicare or Medicaid. This is something we ask immediately when investigating a claim. We ask for two reasons. (1) If you do...

• Nursing Homes Over-Medicate Dementia and Alzheimer's Patients

  Dan Frith | December 05, 2007 6:49 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Does your mother, father, or other family member in a nursing home take Seroquel, Risperdal, Haldol, or other antipsychotics? If so, it is probably because they have a diagnosis of dementia or Alzheimer's disease. Why do nursing home patients receive antipsychotics if they do not have a diagnosis of a psychiatric condition? Great question...and the answer is MONEY!Medicaid has spent more...

• Federal Government Identifies the 54 Worst Nursing Homes in America

  Dan Frith | November 29, 2007 9:10 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  It is about time! The Federal and State governments pay a substantial portion of the costs for nursing home care through the Medicare and Medicaid programs. Taxpayers spend about $72.5 billion a year to subsidize the cost of nursing home care. So, shouldn't we demand good care for the residents and refuse to tolerate substandard nursing homes?Fifty-four nursing homes are being told by the...

• The Sorry State of Nursing Homes in Tennessee

  Dan Frith | November 27, 2007 6:47 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  What in the world is going on in Tennessee? Either they have some of the worst nursing homes in America or investigators are just beginning to do a thorough job! In just the first 11 months of 2007 Tennessee has suspended admissions at 20 nursing homes this year -- that's double the number in 2006 and more than triple the 2005 amount!Talk about widespread abuse and neglect!This is an alarming...

• Nursing Home Settlements

  Lauren Ellerman | November 19, 2007 10:29 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Pressure Ulcer case in Tennessee - $4 million for family of deceased resident (Stage IV ulcer)Nursing home staff fails to take blood tests to regulate Coumadin (I just wrote about this issue) - death results, $500,000Elopement case - woman allowed to leave facility, injured $$$ verdictAwful things happen every day in these facilities - please be careful when admitting a loved one!For more...

• Congress To Take a Close Look at Nursing Homes

  Dan Frith | November 14, 2007 5:41 PM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Corporate owners of America's nursing homes are in for some strict scrutiny by Congress! It's about time! It's about time America stopped the abuse and neglect so widespread in our long term care facilities. Starting tomorrow, Congressional hearings in both the Senate and the House will feature presentations sure to widely criticize the state of affairs in nursing homes."It's been far too...

• Nursing Home Staffing Levels - and why they matter

  Lauren Ellerman | November 14, 2007 2:14 PM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Do you think 1 RN could care for 30 elderly patients that need help with all activities of daily living? What about 1 RN and 3 Nursing Assistants? Is that enough? Most states don't have minimum staffing level requirements - and while federal law has "minimum" goals for hours staff spend with each patiient, many believe specific requirements must be enacted.According to the CMS report to...

• Numbers in Nursing Homes

  Lauren Ellerman | November 08, 2007 9:56 AM | 0 CommentsRoanoke, VA

  Have you ever had to provide care for someone who couldn't walk without help, eat without help, or someone who had short term memory loss? What about someone with aggressive tendencies caused by illness such as dementia or Alzheimer's disease? It can be a very difficult, and tiring task.What about taking care of 48,000 people - in 278 different locations. Think this should be a difficult job? I...