Blog - Page 8

In the aftermath of hurricane Irma, a Florida nursing home became the center of controversy when several residents died of heat-related issues after power went out at the facility, causing the air-conditioning to go out. This prompted swift action from Florida governor Rick Scott, who signed emergen...

Nursing home abuse and neglect could have many sources, from employees to other residents. In fact, as many as one out of every five nursing home residents suffers from threats of abuse or abuse from other residents. While nursing homes should have protocols in place to prevent this kind of abuse, u...

While the majority of beds in most nursing homes are occupied by the elderly, some beds are occupied by younger generations. These are generally younger people suffering from developmental and physical disabilities. Regardless of age, there is still the expectation that the same amount of care will ...

In nursing homes who care for patients suffering from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia, special care must be taken to prevent these patients from wandering from the facility. As such, they often have separate wards for these patients, or wings, where doors remain locked and alarmed. In one case, a n...

When looking for a place for a loved one unable to care for themselves to spend their remaining days, few of us picture the kind of abuse and neglect that can occur. From nursing homes employing people with criminal records to being woefully understaffed, many of the cases of abuse and neglect are a...

When nursing homes fail to meet regulations, they are normally imposed with fines, which can be quite high. Under the Obama Administration, these fines were stepped up in an effort to deter nursing homes from committing these lapses and errors. Under Trump’s Administration, these fines and their imp...

Infections are not fun for anyone, and in the elderly, who often suffer from conditions which compromise their immune systems, they can be deadly. Many infections can be prevented through simple hygiene practices, but not all. Preventing relapses of infections in nursing homes is important, but it s...

In order to answer calls for change after reports of widespread abuse and neglect in nursing homes, legislation was passed by Congress in 1987 requiring nursing homes receiving Medicare or Medicaid funds to comply with certain rules regarding the quality of care. While some states have no additional...

A whistleblower is defined as a person who exposes information or activity that is deemed illegal, unethical, or incorrect within an organization, public or private. In the case of uncovering or revealing abuse or neglect in nursing homes, whistleblowers would be a welcome thing. However, that is of...

Nursing homes often have elderly patients, most of whom are on multiple prescription medications. When those medications go unused, either due to a change in prescription by a doctor or due to patient relocation or death, those medications have to be returned to pharmacies or properly disposed of ac...