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As the Brain Injury Association of America embarks upon Fall Prevention Month, it is important to highlight the high incidence of head injuries sustained by the elderly in preventable falls in nursing homes. Nursing home facilities are required to provide residents with a safe and hazard-free environment including attention to fall prevention, because it is known to them that a high risk of falls exists for this population. Unfortunately, research shows between 16% and 27% of nursing home falls are caused by factors such as dim lighting, slippery floors, broken equipment, and unclear walkways. Incorrect bed heights and faulty bed rails account for almost 30% of all nursing home falls. These are items easily remedied by nursing homes that often go unmanaged.
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Continue Reading Nursing Homes and Fall Prevention Month

We commend the nurses and medical personnel on the front lines fighting the COVID-19 pandemic. However, as long time advocates for nursing home patients, we are aware of some of the issues developing in already problematic nursing homes. Some of these issues are being revealed by the media.
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Continue Reading Problematic Developments in Nursing Homes During the COVID-19 Pandemic

The world is being affected by the new coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This is an unprecedented time, and everyone is learning different ways to cope and adjust to the new environment.

The federal government has instituted temporary changes for long-term care facilities (nursing homes) to help combat the spread of the disease. The changes include:…

Continue Reading Maintaining Routine and Procedures in Nursing Homes During COVID-19

When a loved one goes into an assisted care facility, it’s the hope that they’ll receive the compassionate and attentive care they were promised. No one wants to think about the opposite happening: neglect, abuse, injury, or death.

This scenario recently made headline news when a great-grandmother in Puyallup, Washington sustained fatal injuries after falling from her bed.

Betty Torrey 95, fell from her bed at Able Care Adult Family Home on November 13, 2019, breaking her leg. She died 11 days afterward following complications from the injury. Police reports state that the staff left her laying on the floor of her room for 2 ½ hours after she fell, ignoring her cries for help.…

Continue Reading Critical Care: Helping Your Loved Ones Navigate Care Facility Risks

When a family member moves into an assisted care facility, their new home is evaluated from many angles. What is the living space like? What are the staff qualifications? Have there been concerns raised in the past? Most likely, you aren’t considering the potential need for litigation.

Yet among the many pages of admissions paperwork, nursing home residents and their families are being asked to sign a forced arbitration agreement before being admitted. This agreement bars a court hearing in the case of disputes, including those that address abuse, injury, or wrongful death while at the facility.…

Continue Reading Railroaded: Forced Arbitration Clause Should Alarm Nursing Home Residents

Falls of patients in nursing homes are often preventable, yet they are still the leading cause of injuries in seniors who are residents there. Research shows elderly adults are four times more likely to die of fall related injuries if they live in a nursing home as compared to those who live at home. Part of that is due to the home’s improper follow up investigation and care, and part is due to its failure to implement proper fall prevention.
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Continue Reading Preventable Falls in Nursing Homes

Every two minutes, someone in the U.S. dies from sepsis. Despite its prevalence, many people are unfamiliar with this life-threatening medical issue. To raise awareness about what sepsis is, how to recognize its symptoms, and the importance of timely treatment, September has been named Sepsis Awareness Month.

Sepsis is the body’s response to an infection, and occurs when the immune system sends infection-fighting chemicals to the entire body rather than just to the infection. The damage from these chemicals causes impaired blood flow, organ damage, and death. Of the 2 million people who develop sepsis in the U.S. each year, one-quarter of them will not survive. For those that do survive, many develop post-sepsis syndrome (PSS), which can cause long-term physical and psychological effects.…

Continue Reading September is Sepsis Awareness Month

As a result of the unstable economy, many adults have been forced to work longer hours or multiple jobs, resulting in less time to care for their elderly parents at home. This is no exception for America’s growing Latino population, who often hold caring for elderly family members in high regard as a cultural tradition.

Government statistics show that Hispanics have a life expectancy of 82 years, longer than non-Hispanic white Americans (78.7 years) and non-Hispanic black Americans (75.1 years). Hispanic women have a life expectancy of 84.3 years. However, according to a poll conducted by Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research, fewer than two out of every 10 Hispanics age 40 and older say they are extremely confident that nursing homes and assisted living facilities can meet their needs.…

Continue Reading Special Considerations for Latinos Seeking Elder Care

Placing someone in a long-term care facility is a very difficult decision to make. Many times, this decision is not due to physical limitations, but mental ones. Older folks who suffer from dementia or Alzheimer’s may be physically mobile, but due to cognitive issues, they require 24-hour supervision. They may forget where they are, get…