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Nursing Homes News
Understaffing and quality of care present dangerous situations to the elderly and infirm in the nation's nursing homes.
According to surveys conducted by the United States General Accounting Office, more than one-fourth of the U.S. nursing homes had deficiencies that either caused harm to residents or put them at risk for death or serious injury.
The United States Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General executed disciplinary actions relating to nursing home abuse in 382 cases in 1997, more than double the number of cases in 1996. The department received 1,613 reports of abuse in 1996, a net increase of 14 percent over a three-year period.
Nursing homes look to cut overhead and expenses from their budgets, as every organizations does. Unfortunately, reducing staff to decrease overhead has a drastic impact on the quality of care residents receive. Nursing and certified aides (CNAs) provide almost all of the patient care. When the number of staff members is decreased, supervision of residents is decreased.
One study analyzed average hours of care per resident per day in all certified nursing facilities in the United States between 1991 and 1996. It found CNA hours decreased from an average of 2 hours per resident in 1991 to 1.9 hours per resident in 1996.
When choosing a nursing home for a loved one, make sure to investigate throughly. Inquire about the number of nurses and past claims of abuse. Do not be afraid to ask the difficult questions regarding your loved one's care. Make sure that you have specific needs of your loved one addressed in the written contract.
If you need to contact us about this matter, please click here for a free online consultation.
Question:
What can a QIO do if I have a concern about care I received while on Medicare?
Answer:
One of the responsibilities of QIOs is to look at the quality of medical care that Medicare patients receive. The QIO's goal is to address your concerns while working with doctors and health care providers (hospitals, nursing homes, surgery centers, etc.) to help them provide better care in the future. Your QIO will help you complete paperwork about your concerns so that your complaint can be considered.
U.S. Department of Health & Human Services - Medicare Question
What an Outrage!
Abusers Slip Through the Cracks
• December 2007|
Jennifer Coldren's 90-year-old grandmother, who suffers from dementia, was assaulted and raped by an employee at her residential care facility in 2006. The 45-year-old attacker had a criminal record and previous allegations of inappropriate sexual conduct.
"It was his third day on the floor," says Coldren. The attacker is now serving up to 30 years in prison.
While the Rome, N.Y., facility where Coldren's grandmother lived does conduct criminal background checks—as required by state law—employees are allowed to work while waiting for the results. Federal law doesn't require long-term care facilities to conduct national criminal background checks. And when facilities do perform them—either voluntarily or because of state law—the results can take up to four months, which can put residents at risk.
The U.S. Senate is considering a bill, the Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act of 2007, that would create a national background check system for long-term care workers. Based on a pilot program launched in seven states, this system could speed up background checks; it would also prohibit an abuser from working in another state where interstate background checks aren't done.
"We need to keep predators out of our system, not just prosecute them after they’ve ruined people's lives," says Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wis., the bill's sponsor.
Coldren agrees, adding, "If this bill was already in place, this would not have happened to my grandmother."
• April 2002 |
• Visit a facility on different days and at various times, including mealtimes, taking note of nursing staff levels.
• Talk to members of the nursing staff about how long they and others have worked there.
• Ask the nursing home administrators about staff-to-resident ratios.
• Get a copy of the most recent state survey of the facility to learn if it has been cited for deficiencies.
• Ask if a facility has a plan of care for each resident and if it is revised continually.
For a free copy of AARP's "Solving Nursing Home Problems: A Guide for Families" (D17065), send a request to AARP Fulfillment, EE01522, 601 E St. NW, Washington, DC 20049. Include the publication title, stock number and your mailing address.
Also, visit AARP.org's section on nursing homes.
To find the phone number of your state or local long-term care ombudsman program, use the U.S. Administration on Aging's online Eldercare Locator or call (800) 677-1116.
The National Citizens' Coalition for Nursing Home Reform has information on advocacy groups in your state. You can also order two publications at their website:
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"Nursing Homes: Getting Good Care There" and
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"Where Do I Go From Here? A Guide for Nursing Home Residents, Families & Friends on Consulting an Attorney."
