Bergen County Personal Injury Lawyer - Nursing Home & Elder Abuse

Nursing Home - Lack of Medical Care

Donald Caminiti — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Elderly nursing home residents receive relatively few cancer care services, according to a study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Few studies have examined cancer treatment and care among elderly patients residing in nursing homes. Yet, as the population ages, more people will move into nursing homes, many of whom will later be diagnosed with cancer. Cancer risk increases as people age.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071226004314.htm

Congress has introduced the "Nursing Home Transparency and Quality of Care Improvement Act of 2008." The bill increases the transparency of nursing home ownership, ensures that residents and their families have information about the quality of care at these facilities, and strengthens enforcement of nursing home compliance with quality of care standards.

The Nursing Home Act enables nursing home residents and government regulators to better know who actually owns the nursing home and who controls the decision-making that impacts the quality of care provided. In addition, the bill improves the reporting of information on staffing levels and direct patient care expenditures.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Donald Caminiti

Identifying Nursing Home Negligence

Donald Caminiti — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 09:00:00 GMT

A new, five-star system which helps consumers searching for a nursing home is scheduled to go online at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) Nursing Home Compare Web site by the end of 2008. The ratings will be posted on the agency’s Nursing Home Compare Web site by the end of this year

The innovative new system rates America’s nursing homes by giving each a “star” rating similar to that used in the hospitality industry.

CMS hopes the system will provide patients and their families with an easy-to-understand assessment of nursing home quality, making meaningful distinctions between high performing and low performing homes.

The five-star rating system will mark the first time CMS has offered such a rating system for the fee-for-service or traditional Medicare program. Currently, through the Compare Web site, CMS assists beneficiaries and their families in making nursing home choices by providing information on individual quality-of-care measures, staffing and survey inspection information.

Information on patient and family satisfaction with services at a facility may also be added to Nursing Home Compare site. The “Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home,” a publication which includes information about the types of long-term care, local nursing home comparisons, and how to pay for nursing home care can also be found on the site.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Donald Caminiti

Underfunding Leads to Nursing Home Negligence and Reduced Access to Care

Donald Caminiti — Thu, 30 Oct 2008 09:10:00 GMT

A recent study revealed that Medicaid is underfunding state long-term care efforts by $4.2 billion this year, according to a new analysis of Medicaid financing released Wednesday by the American Health Care Association.

The funding shortfall, combined with the crippled economy and almost guaranteed state budget cuts next fiscal year, could threaten access to care and/or lead to substandard care at nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities.

Hardest hit by the under funding are New York and Illinois, who came up short by $548.1 million and $379.3 million respectively. Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey filled out the top five.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Donald Caminiti

Nursing Home Negligence

Donald Caminiti — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:06:00 GMT

WNED news recently reported that hidden cameras are being installed in certain, unidentified nursing homes and rehabilitation facilities to crack down on patient abuse and neglect.

The video surveillance technology has been employed quite successfully in many nursing home and rehabilittion facilities, resulting in nearly 30 convictions for endangering patients' health and falsifying records to conceal neglect.

Cases of neglect, often difficult to prove, can now be proven thanks to this video surveillance technology.

The video monitoring is a new technoligy which is monitored in real time thereby providing additional much needed protetion to seniors confined to nursing homes.

If you or a loved one are in search of a nursing home or rehabilitation facility, you might want to inquire whether the nursing home or rehab facility employs this new technology.

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Donald Caminiti

Nursing Homes Fail to Administer Osteoporosis Drugs

Donald Caminiti — Fri, 06 Jun 2008 09:00:00 GMT

Study: Nursing Homes Fail to Administer Osteoporosis Drugs

A new study has found that nursing home patients suffering from osteoporosis were rarely given medications to strengthen their bones. According to the study, only 11.5 percent of patients admitted to nursing homes after suffering a fracture were administered medications for osteoporosis. Data for the study, published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, were gathered from 4,430 elderly patients admitted to a New Jersey nursing home between 1995 and 2004. Reuters, Reuters 06/05/2008

Read Article: Reuters

Originally posted at InjuryBoard by Donald Caminiti