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Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect A Growing Concern General Population of people over 65 Number of Nursing Homes in the U.S. In 2003: 35,919,174 In 2012:43,145,356 In 2003:16380 In 2012:15652 Increase of 7,226,182 people A decrease of 728 Nursing Homes 2003 2012 |2012 In 2012, more than 1.4 million people 65 and older lived in nursing homes. Bed Sores in Nursing Homes Bed sores are among the most serious medical conditions that occur at nursing residents have suffered from a pressure ulcer. homes. More than 10 percent of nursing home The rate of pressure ulcers in nursing home patients is often a quality-care indicator. Of those patients, about half of those diagnosed had Stage 2 bed sores. More than one-third of all nursing home residents with bed sores rated as "Stage 2" or higher required "special wound care services." Between 2 percent and 28 percent of nursing home residents currently suffer from bed sores. About 5% of adults 65 and older live in nursing homes, but nursing home residents account for about 20% of deaths from falls in this age group. 16.6% 1800 16.6% reported a fall (since they were admitted or since the most recent assessment). About 1,800 older adults living in nursing homes die each year from fall-related injuries Those who survive frequently sustain injuries that result in permanent disability and reduced quality of life. 20% Each year, a typical nursing home with 100 beds reports 100 - 200 falls. Many falls go unreported. Between half and three- quarters of nursing home residents fall each year. That's twice the rate of falls among older adults living in the community. Falls result in disability functional decline, and reduced quality of life Fear of falling can cause further loss of function, depression, feelings of helplessness, and social isolation. Environmental hazards in nursing homes cause 16% to 27% of falls among residents. Such hazards include wet floors, poor lighting, incorrect bed height, and improperly fitted or maintained wheelchairs. According to the CDC fall prevention in nursing homes presents multiple challenges. These preventative Fall interventions include: 1. Assessing patients after a fall to identify and address risk factors and treat the underlying medical conditions. measures are the 2. Educating staff about fall risk factors and prevention strategies. responsibility of the Nursing Home. Are they doing this properly? 3. Reviewing prescribed medicines to assess their potential risks and benefits and to minimize use. 4. Making changes in the nursing home environment to make it easier for residents to move around safely. 5. Providing patients with hip pads that may prevent a hip fracture if a fall occurs. 6. Exercise programs can improve balance, strength, walking ability, and physical functioning among nursing home residents. Other Signs of Abuse or Neglect Physical injury from falls Malnutrition or dehydration Bed sores, pressure ulcers Gangrene Aspiration pneumonia Over-sedation Poor medical care Medication mistakes Lack of supervision Property theft Abandonment Ineffective equipment Sexual assault Coercion Physical or mental abuse Poor Hygiene Bruises Fractures Urinary Tract Infections Sepsis Wrongful death R THE ROTHENBERG LAW FIRM LLP A PROUD HISTORY OF SUCCESS 8 800-624-8888 Injury Lawyer.com Sources: 1. http://www.cms.gov/Medicare/Provider-Enrollment-and- Certification/CertificationandComplianc/downloads/nursinghomedatacompendium_508.pdf 2. http://www.injurylawyer.com/practice-areas/personal-injury/abuse/nursing-home-abuse-attorneys/ 3. http://medicare.gov/NursingHomeCompare/Resources/Resident-Rights.html

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

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Nursing Home Neglect Demographics across the country are changing. A larger percentage of the American population than ever before is over 65 years old. Many of these individual can expect to live fo... r many years to come, meaning that issues of nursing home abuse victims need supportelder care are growing increasingly important. An increasing elderly population has led to a larger nursing home population. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse attorneys know that this rising resident population has led to an increase in incidences of nursing home negligence and abuse. Governmental agencies such as the Center for Medicare & Medicaid Services help oversee the care and services provided by nursing homes. Both federal and state governments have established uniform standards for nursing homes to ensure the protection and safety of residents. Failure to abide by these standards may result in fines, citations, and other penalties for the negligent facility. Unfortunately, despite the best efforts of these agencies, more than one million nursing home residents are abused in some manner every year. Contact Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys ****Do not let a senior suffer in silence- take action! **** Our nursing home abuse attorneys work on a contingency fee basis, meaning we do not collect anything from you unless and until we are successful in winning money for you. Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuits Nursing home abuse may include any of the following: Physical injury from falls Malnutrition or dehydration Bed sores, pressure ulcers Gangrene Aspiration pneumonia Over-sedation Poor medical care Medication mistakes Lack of supervision Property theft Abandonment Ineffective equipment Sexual assault Coercion Physical or mental abuse Poor Hygiene Bruises Fractures Urinary Tract Infections Sepsis Wrongful death Nursing Home Infographic thumbnail Click to Enlarge Most cases of mistreatment are not reported because seniors are often unable to understand the care to which they are entitled. In other cases they may be physically unable to share information about the abuse. Whether the abuse consists of recurrent negligence or a single incident which causes injury, the victim has a right to damages. In addition, by filing a lawsuit and seeking accountability, residents and their families can help protect other residents from suffering the same fate. In most cases, the nursing home in question can lose its certification for failing to supply the expected care, leading to a loss of federal funding. Bed Sores and Nursing Home Neglect What is one of the most common and severe form Nursing Home Neglect? Bed Sores. Elderly adults who are subject to nursing home neglect can sustain serious personal injuries, including dangerous bed sores, which are also known as pressure ulcers. According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), nursing home neglect is often defined as the failure of a caregiver to properly provide for an elderly person, which can include the failure to provide food, supervision, medicine, medical care and treatment, clothing, and shelter. In general, elder neglect can involve many different circumstances that could result in an older adult’s health and safety being put in jeopardy. Based on findings from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), nursing home abuse and neglect frequently results in elderly adults suffering from bed sores. Depending on the severity of these pressure ulcers, older adults can experience severe repercussions. What Are Bed Sores? The CDC explains that pressure ulcers, which are also known as bed sores, pressure sores, and decubitus ulcers, “are wounds caused by unrelieved pressure on the skin.” How do they develop? They typically occur over a person’s “bony prominences,” including elbows, heels, hips, shoulders, back, and in some cases even the back of the head. They are among the most serious medical conditions that occur at nursing homes, and the rate of pressure ulcers in nursing home patients is often a quality-care indicator. Indeed, many nursing homes residents across the country may suffer from elder neglect, as anywhere between 2 percent and 28 percent of nursing home residents currently suffer from bed sores. Severity of Pressure Ulcers in Nursing Homes Medical professionals use a staging system for rating the severity of pressure ulcers. Typically, these systems focus on the depth of the damage to soft tissue, which can range from “least severe” to “most severe.” According to the CDC, the stages typically look like this: Stage 1: a persistent redness in the skin; Stage 2: loss of partial thickness of the skin, which can look like an abrasion, a blister, or a shallow crater; Stage 3: loss of full thickness of the skin, which usually looks like a deep crater; and Stage 4: loss of full thickness of the skin such that muscles or bones are exposed. The CDC suggests that “Stage 2” pressure ulcers are among the most common in nursing home residents who have been victims of neglect. Facts and Figures About Nursing Home Bed Sores How often are nursing home residents diagnosed with a bed sore? Based on data collected by the CDC, more than 10 percent of nursing home residents have suffered from a pressure ulcer. Of those patients, about half of those diagnosed had Stage 2 bed sores. Some other significant facts and figures include: Age is a factor: nursing home residents who were aged 64 years and younger actually were more likely than older residents to be diagnosed with bed sores. Time in nursing home matters: residents who were at a nursing home for one year or less were more likely than long-term residents to be diagnosed with a pressure ulcer. Weight loss may be a sign: about 20 percent of nursing home residents with recent weight loss also had a bed sore More than one-third of all nursing home residents with bed sores rated as “Stage 2” or higher required “special wound care services.”

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

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