Was the Nursing Home At Fault for Your Loved One’s Choking Death?
Caretaker neglect and abuse contribute to many choking deaths among nursing home residents. If a nursing home fails to protect a resident from harm, it can be held liable for the resident’s death. Choking Deaths in Nursing Homes Between 2007 and 2010, over 2,200 elderly adults age 65 and older died from choking on food. In 2015, more than 5,000 elderly adults died from choking, and 2,848 victims were over the age of 74. The three most common causes of death associated with choking were Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s [...]
The Impact of Drug Abusers Working in Nursing Homes
Chemical dependence by nursing home staff can jeopardize patient care. It often results in impaired judgment, an increased number of medical mistakes, the neglect of residents, and the diversion of medications for the nurse’s own use. A growing number of nursing home staff members are suffering from drug addiction, partially due to easy access to prescription narcotics that are stocked for residents. Nursing Home Staff Addicted to Drugs Staff drug abuse is a concern in nursing homes around the country. It is linked to many cases of neglect [...]
The Emotional Consequences of Nursing Home Abuse [infographic]
The emotional consequences of nursing home abuse vary and are often significant, sometimes leading to severe mental health problems, a substantial decline in the victim’s physical health, and even death. (Article continues below infographic) ______ The Impact of Nursing Home Abuse In nursing homes and long-term care facilities, 44 percent of residents report that they have been victims of some type of physical, emotional, verbal, or sexual abuse while receiving care at a facility. Although some signs of abuse show up as bruises, cuts and abrasions, broken bones, [...]
When Calls for Help Go Unanswered
In nursing homes, unanswered calls for help by staff and caretakers can mean the difference between life and death for elderly patients. Unanswered Calls For Help Can be Fatal Nursing home call systems provide a lifeline for elderly patients who require assistance. When calls go unanswered by medical staff, patients can suffer serious injuries, even death. All nursing home facilities are required to have a call system with a two-way intercom between the nurse’s station and the patient’s bed. When the patient activates the call button, a light [...]
Nursing Home Neglect: Can a Patient With Dementia Refuse Care?
Dementia patients have the right to accept or refuse medical care, so long as they demonstrate adequate mental capacity. The U.S. Constitution protects a person’s basic freedoms, including the right to privacy and protection against actions of others that may threaten bodily integrity. However, when a dementia patient’s mental capacity is shown to be inadequate, they no longer have the right to accept or refuse medical care. So, can a patient with dementia refuse care? Determining Competency and Legal Rights of Dementia Patients How does competency affect the [...]
Residents Are Getting Illegally Dumped By their Nursing Homes [infographic]
“Hospital Dumping” is an illegal eviction process for nursing home residents which has become a major concern for the elderly in the U.S. and about 9,000 people fall victim to this practice every year. (Article continues below infographic) Illegal Hospital Dumping Thousands of elderly residents are getting dumped every year in hospitals where they are taken for acute care treatment of illness or injury. Once their hospital care is completed, they are told without prior warning that they cannot return to their nursing home. According to federal laws, [...]
Are Elders with Dementia More Likely to Be Abused?
Due to a decline in cognitive function, elderly people with dementia are at a much greater risk of abuse and neglect by their caregivers. Dementia causes a significant decline in thinking skills and memory, often severe enough to interfere with everyday tasks and activities. These deficits make dementia patients easy targets for various types of verbal, physical and sexual abuse. Elderly Patients With Dementia According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there are approximately five million Americans over the age of 65 who have some [...]