Although nursing home residents in Chicago are unlikely to be evacuated due to a hurricane, any number of unexpected disasters may potentially cause them to become displaced. A study recently presented at the Gerontological Society of America’s yearly meeting found that long-term care facility patients with dementia were 218 percent more likely to die within 30 days of a hurricane evacuation than at any other time. In addition, the same population allegedly experienced a 158 percent increase in mortality within 90 days of an evacuation. The three-year study reportedly tracked and evaluated more than 21,000 residents of skilled nursing facilities situated along the nation’s Gulf Coast. The lead author of the study, Lisa Brown, a Professor of Aging Studies at the University of South Florida-Tampa, said it is unclear why death rates are higher for certain nursing home patients following an evacuation. Brown stated although government guidelines currently emphasize physical safety during an evacuation, mental health issues are not being sufficiently addressed. According to Brown and her colleagues, between 50 and 70 percent of the estimated 1.6 million skilled nursing facility residents nationwide suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or another dementia disorder. Brown said the high risks related to relocating such patients merit “sheltering in place” during a natural disaster. All federally certified nursing homes must provide workers with emergency preparedness training and have a written emergency plan in place. Unfortunately, a survey of long-term care facilities allegedly found that most are not sufficiently prepared for a disaster and failed to include about half of all necessary tasks on emergency checklists. According to Brown, a succession of natural disasters like those that recently occurred following Hurricane Sandy also make nursing home residents and employees less resilient. She reportedly believes further research regarding how to best maintain the mental health of both […]
A 57-year-old resident of the Cobden Rehabilitation and Nursing Center in Illinois is allegedly no longer allowed to walk and can barely speak. When the brain-injury victim entered the facility, however, he could reportedly walk with assistance and was undergoing speech therapy. According to reports, the man now spends his days slumped in a wheelchair. In addition, his speech therapy sessions allegedly ended not long after he became a resident of the facility. Sadly, the nursing home appears to be ill-equipped to properly care for the man. According to federal Medicaid and Medicare patient data compiled by Bloomberg, the 57-year-old man is one of an estimated 244,000 individuals who are residing in nursing homes across the nation as a result of an unexpected brain-injury. More than four million people nationwide reportedly suffer from a long-term disability that was caused by a brain-injury. Although an injury to the brain may result from a motor vehicle crash, fall, stroke, assault, and a number of other events, victims are frequently left without access to the most effective specialized care and therapies. Many brain-injury victims are reportedly housed in nursing homes that were designed instead to care for an aging population. Unfortunately, the bulk of Americans do not have health insurance that will pay for brain trauma rehabilitation facilities. Instead, those who suffer a severe and disabling injury to the brain often rely on public insurance that is paid for by the state and federal government. Although Medicaid will cover the cost of a nursing home, the program will only pay for a limited number of patients to enter rehabilitation centers. Unfortunately, a long waiting list currently exists for the 19,000 nationwide slots. Although nursing homes can be the best option for some brain-injury patients, most reportedly need therapies that skilled nursing facilities rarely […]
Scientists at the University of Manchester in England have developed a carpet that could alert staff at nursing homes and other care facilities that a resident is likely to fall. The so-called “magic carpet” reportedly has special plastic fibers attached to the bottom that bend and send signals to a computer when someone walks on it. In the future, the signals may be used to identify walking behavior changes and alert care staff to a sudden trip or fall. About half of all hospital admissions for seniors are reportedly caused by a fall. In addition, an estimated 40 percent of individuals who reside in a long-term care facility experience a fall injury in any given year. Researchers believe the carpet technology could be used to prevent falls in skilled nursing and assisted living facilities as well as the personal homes of senior citizens. In addition, the carpet may allow doctors or caregivers to analyze an elderly person’s gait to identify potential issues before they arise. The lead scientist on the project, Dr. Patricia Scully, said the carpet was designed to be low-cost, non-intrusive, and adaptable. Because of this, Scully believes the technology may be useful in a variety of settings and retrofitted as needed by the elderly and others who may be prone to falling. Falls in skilled nursing facilities may be caused by a number of factors including improperly fitted beds and wheelchairs, environmental hazards such as poor lighting and wet floors, and underlying health problems. In addition, a failure on the part of nursing home caregivers to monitor the elderly and disabled after medication and other changes can contribute to resident falls. The nation’s Centers for Disease Control and Prevention claims that employee education, safety equipment, and proper medical care for residents can have a dramatic impact on […]
Initial data collected by researchers from the University of Pittsburgh recently found that about 82 percent of certified nursing assistants (CNAs) surveyed enjoy their jobs. In addition, approximately 80 percent claim to be loyal to their workplace and a whopping 90 percent reportedly feel that what they do for a living makes the world a better place. Oddly, the very same workforce also has a surprisingly high turnover rate. As part of a long-term study, researchers at the University’s Center for Health and Care Work surveyed 1,400 CNAs and other direct care workers in an effort to ascertain why employees choose to stay at or leave their jobs. The currently ongoing study was designed to last for a period of two years and direct care employees who participated in the initial survey will reportedly be interviewed again in a series of nine-month intervals. In the future, researchers hope to examine whether employees who resigned also changed industries. Despite often low pay and difficult work, most CNAs who responded to the survey reported high levels of job satisfaction. Still, few opportunities for advancement, understaffing, inadequate continuing education, and a lack of mentorship reportedly contributed to direct care worker dissatisfaction. According to researchers, however, the number one reason CNAs and other direct care staff leave a care facility is a disrespectful management team. CNAs surveyed reportedly told researchers that they most often leave a particular job due to unrealistic expectations regarding the amount of daily work that can successfully be accomplished. A high rate of direct care staff turnover can have a dramatic impact upon the quality of care nursing home residents in Illinois and throughout the nation receive. An inadequate number of CNAs or quickly and poorly trained workers can also have a significant effect on resident health and safety. Although […]
According to information recently compiled by non-profit corporation ProPublica, Illinois ranks third in the nation for suspended federal Medicare and Medicaid payments due to serious nursing home deficiencies. Over the last three years, federal skilled nursing facility payments were purportedly suspended nearly 100 times at 78 homes throughout the state. Normally, Medicare and Medicaid payments are only suspended when conditions at a long-term care facility require immediate improvement. In addition, Illinois reportedly ranked near the middle of states with regard to the number of serious deficiencies and fines issued per nursing home. The Illinois Department of Public Health surveys and rates skilled nursing facilities at least once each year and when specific complaints are filed. Ratings of A to L are assigned to each nursing home based on facility conditions. An A assignment is the highest rating and an L assignment indicates the most severe level of deficiency. A J score reportedly indicates an isolated, immediate risk to a patient’s health or safety was found. Meanwhile, K indicates that such a condition exists as part of a pattern while an L means a state surveyor noted widespread and immediate risks to resident health and safety exist at a particular skilled nursing facility. In the last three years, 144 of the 773 nursing homes throughout Illinois purportedly received at least one J, K, or L citation. Additionally, 199 nursing homes incurred $2.43 million in fines during the same time period. The largest fine was issued to a Chicago nursing home that allegedly committed 53 simultaneous violations. Federal payments were suspended twice over the last three years at one long-term care facility in Joliet. The same nursing home also reportedly received 82 deficiency citations and was ordered to address resident care deficiencies through a special focus program. According to a representative for […]
An often fatal superbug is increasingly being found in hospitals and nursing homes across the country. A formerly obscure drug-resistant bacteria, Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE), has been found in health care facilities throughout the nation’s largest cities such as New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. The deadly family of bacteria was named for its ability to fight off carbapenem antibiotics which are normally a medical provider’s last line of defense against superbugs. Since 2008, thousands of hospital and nursing home patient deaths were purportedly caused by CRE. Earlier this year, a strain of the bacteria reportedly killed seven, including a 16-year-old, at the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center. The first known case of CRE was described in 2001. Since then, the superbug has allegedly shown up at hospitals and skilled nursing facilities in at least 41 states. At this time, the reported rate of death for patients who contract CRE is about 40 percent. Because CRE infection may affect a nursing home resident’s intestines, urinary tract, or cause pneumonia, many cases likely go undiagnosed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Arjun Srinivasan said CRE is currently the most serious threat to hospital and skilled nursing facility patients across the country. Unfortunately, CRE can allegedly remain in an individual’s system without any symptoms until the immune system of an infected person is compromised. According to Dr. Mary Hayden, Director of Clinical Microbiology at Rush University Medical Center, studies show that about three percent of hospital intensive care patients in Chicago carry CRE. In addition, the same studies show that up to 30 percent of long-term care facility residents in the area are infected. The bacteria can allegedly be transmitted to others by mere contact. Dr. Hayden stated CRE is especially dangerous for nursing home residents due the easy manner in […]
Recent legislation that included Illinois nursing home Medicaid rate cuts has reportedly angered resident advocates across the state. Although nursing home industry spokesperson Pat Comstock, Executive Director at the Health Care Council of Illinois, stated the recently signed Senate Bill 2840 will not affect the level of care required by sweeping nursing home legislation that was passed in 2010, others disagree. Wendy Meltzer, Director at Illinois Citizens for Better Care in Chicago, said the new law’s staffing level requirements are not only confusing, but will also be tough to enforce. According to Meltzer, many long-term care facility residents will likely suffer neglect as a result of the law. The nursing home reform legislation was reportedly introduced as a result of a number of newspaper articles regarding dangerous conditions and inadequate staffing levels at skilled nursing facilities located throughout the state. Although resident advocacy groups allegedly agreed to determine what sort of care facility employees would be used to meet the requirements of the new law after the legislation was passed, disagreements arose once the matter was before the state legislature’s Joint Committee on Administrative Rules. In addition, despite that research purportedly demonstrates that 20 percent of nursing and personal care should be provided by registered nurses (RNs), the Health Care Council advocacy group allegedly disagreed. Instead of asking skilled nursing facilities to utilize federal matching funds to pay the estimated $105 million required to meet the suggested 20 percent RN resident care level, the Health Care Council reportedly argued that only 10 percent of patient care should be provided by RNs. As part of recent state budget negotiations, the 10 percent RN care rule advocated for by the Health Care Council was adopted. Some believe the RN staffing level adopted is too low and disabled and senior residents throughout Illinois […]
A study recently published in the journal Medical Care reportedly found that anti-psychotic drugs are being overused in Veterans Affairs (VA) nursing homes at about the same rate as other long-term care facilities. According to researchers at the University of Pittsburgh, about 25 percent of elderly and disabled veterans who are living in VA skilled nursing facilities are currently taking anti-psychotic drugs. The study claims that at least 40 percent of the individuals who are prescribed anti-psychotic medications while residing in VA nursing homes are taking the drugs unnecessarily. As part of the study, researchers reportedly compiled information regarding almost 4,000 patients who were admitted to one of the 133 VA nursing homes across the nation for at least 90 days between January 2004 and June 2005. Study authors purportedly found that only 59.3 percent of the elderly and disabled veterans who were administered an anti-psychotic medication had an evidence-based reason such as schizophrenia or bipolar disorder for the prescription. According to one study author, University of Pittsburgh Assistant Professor of Health Policy and Management Walid Gellad, veterans who were diagnosed with dementia or Alzheimer’s disease were 66 percent more likely to receive an anti-psychotic than other facility residents. In addition, patients who exhibited aggressive behavior were allegedly three times more likely to receive an anti-psychotic drug than other nursing home residents. Anti-psychotic drugs allegedly do little to alleviate behavioral issues in individuals who suffer from dementia. In addition, the nation’s Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning that use of such pharmaceuticals in dementia patients is associated with an increased death rate. Gellad reportedly believes the overuse of anti-psychotics results from the difficulty many nursing home employees have in dealing with the behavioral symptoms often associated with dementia disorders. He said although skilled nursing facility staff may be […]
Top Nursing Home Violations in Illinois and Nationwide Now Available Online
December 18, 2012 |Last month, non-profit corporation ProPublica updated the organization’s Nursing Home Inspect tool to include more than 250,000 deficiencies identified by the U.S. Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services at nursing homes across the nation over the last three years. The information was reportedly taken from detailed narrative reports of problems uncovered following annual long-term care facility inspections. The Nursing Home Inspect tool was purportedly created in an effort to make it easier for the public to search for problems or other care trends at skilled nursing facilities in Illinois and across the nation. Normally, a long-term care facility will be inspected by a state agency only once per year unless the agency receives a complaint regarding nursing home conditions. Any deficiencies noted are then ranked based upon the deemed level of severity. The top five violations listed in the Nursing Home Inspect database include failure to ensure a skilled nursing facility is free from accident hazards, failure to ensure an effective infection control program is in place, failure to provide the best necessary resident care as is practicable, unsanitary food preparation or distribution, and failure to create comprehensive patient care plans. In addition, other failures such as meeting professional standards with regard to services and record-keeping, employing individuals who have committed abuse, maintaining a drug regimen that includes unnecessary patient medications, and failure to ensure the dignity of residents is protected were also allegedly noted frequently by nursing home inspectors. Unfortunately, nursing home patients risk serious injury and death when long-term care facilities fail to maintain an environment that is free from fall and other accident hazards. Additionally, residents are placed at risk for abuse or neglect when a nursing home does not employ a sufficient number of well-trained direct care staff. In Illinois, the Nursing Home Care Act requires […]
Two recent state inspections noted 14 total deficiencies at a skilled nursing facility located in Libertyville. The deficiencies found at the recently privatized county facility included patient falls from both wheelchairs and beds, a lack of fall prevention measures, improper maintenance of medical equipment, assistance buttons placed in such a way it was impossible for residents to reach them, insufficient overnight staffing levels, inadequate staff training, poor sanitation, improper handling of patient medication, and other issues. In addition, Illinois Department of Health and Human Services inspectors also noted a number of elderly Winchester House residents were improperly prescribed anti-psychotic medications. According to the Lake County nursing home’s Facility Administrator, Richard Curtis, each of the issues cited by state inspectors was remedied within four weeks of the annual license and certification survey completed in October. He said many of the problems noted at the facility were typical and Winchester House took the violations seriously. Curtis also added that three years ago, before the facility was privatized, the nursing home received 21 citations following a similar unannounced state inspection. Currently, Winchester House provides long-term care to 177 residents and employs approximately 160 people. Three-fourths of facility employees are reportedly registered nurses. Last December, Health Dimensions Group took over management of the certified nursing home. Still, an advisory board that includes two members of the Lake County Board assists with facility oversight. According to Lake County Administrator Barry Burton, Health Dimensions Group violated only minor state requirements and is highly focused on cost containment measures. In Illinois, most nursing homes and other long-term care facilities receive Medicare and Medicaid funds. This means they are considered certified skilled nursing facilities. Doctors who treat residents at Illinois certified nursing homes must adhere to both state and federal laws and regulations. Too often, physicians and other […]