94% OF NURSING HOMES WERE CITED FOR VIOLATIONS OF FEDERAL HEALTH AND SAFETY STANDARDS LAST YEAR - FOR PROFIT HOMES MORE LIKELY TO HAVE PROBLEMS THAN OTHER TYPES OF NURSING HOMES CLAIM FEDERAL INVESTIGATORS
PHILADELPHIA NURSING HOME ABUSE ATTORNEY, JEFFREY REIFF, WEIGHS IN
According to a study referred to by Robert Pear in the New York Times on Monday, September 29, 2008, more than 90% of nursing homes were cited for violations of Federal Health and Safety standards last year, and for profit homes more likely have problems than other types of nursing homes, Federal investigators stated in a report issued Monday, September 29, 2008. According to the article, about 17% of nursing homes had deficiencies that caused “actual harm or immediate jeopardy” to patients according to a report by Dr. Daniel R. Levinson, the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services. (New York Times article).
Problems included bed sores, medication mixups, poor nutrition and abuse and neglect of patients. Inspectors received 37,150 complaints about conditions in nursing homes last year and this substantiated 39% of them the report said. About 1/5 of the complaints verified by Federal and State authorities involved the abuse or neglect of patients.
About 2/3 of nursing homes are owned by for profit companies, while 27% are owned by non-profit organizations and 6% by government entities according to the report. The Inspector General noted that 94% of for profit nursing homes were cited for deficiencies last year, compared with 88% of non-profit homes and 91% of government homes.
“For profit nursing homes have a higher average number of deficiencies than other types of nursing homes,” Mr. Levinson said. “In 2007, for profit nursing homes averages 7.6% deficiencies per home, while non-profit and government homes averaged 5.7 and 6.3% respectively”. On Monday, Mr. Levinson issued a compliance guide for nursing homes that says some homes have “systematically failed to provide staff in sufficient numbers with appropriate clinical expertise to serve their residents”.
As our population continues to age, the widespread problem of nursing home and elder abuse has become an epidemic. Many states have enacted laws to protect multiple and elderly citizens. We entrust the care of citizens in their golden years to nursing homes with the assumption that they will provide quality care. Yet in many facilities, as the above findings indicate, residents are being gravely injured, even dying, because of neglectful care. Many times, we chose facilities that have excellent reputations and spend much time making this careful decision. Yet, nursing home abuse can and still does happen. Nursing home abuse is revealed in many ways. Because elderly citizens are dependent on care givers, they cannot adequately protect themselves. They are also victims of physical attack, sexual assault, financial abuse and negligent care. Often times nursing home personnel care givers disregard these needy and vulnerable adults leading to many serious and life threatening problems, including but not limited to, dehydration, falls, broken bones, infections, bed sores, septicemia, gangrene and often times death.
As the economy continues to worsen, family and friends must work and are not always able to care for the needs of loved ones and seniors and there has been a surge in the amount of for profit nursing homes increasing in number as well as the number of individuals they care for.
Our experienced nursing home abuse attorneys have had extensive experience in uncovering the causes of elder neglect in nursing homes and assisted care living facilities. If you or a loved one has been neglected and suffered damages as a result of negligent care at a nursing home or elder care facility, please turn to the experienced elder care abuse attorneys at the law firm of Reiff and Bily for a free initial consultation. The experienced nursing home abuse law firm of Reiff and Bily charges clients for nursing home abuse cases on a contingency basis. What this means is that the attorney is only paid if he or she wins money for damages for the client. Whether a resident was injured due to intention action or after an employee failed to perform his or her duties, nursing home litigation laws are in place to protect residents and provide proper compensation. Protecting elderly citizens in the golden years of their life is a cause that requires collaboration between family members, lawmakers, advocacy groups and nursing home attorneys.
If you have any questions or concerns about nursing home neglect, please contact an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer at Reiff and Bily at 1-800-421-9595 or www.reiffandbily.com.
