Archive for the ‘Nursing Home Abuse’ Category

How do we prevent Pennsylvania nursing home abuse & injuries?

• Assessing patients after a fall to identify and address risk factors and treat the underlying medical conditions
• Educate staff about fall risk factors and prevention strategies
• Reviewing prescribed medicines to assess their potential risks and benefits and to minimize use
• Making changes in the nursing home environment to make it easier for residents to move around safely. Such changes include putting in grab bars, adding raised toilet seats, lowering bed heights, and installing handrails in the hallways.
• Providing patients with hip pads that may prevent a hip fracture if a fall occurs.
• Using devices such as alarms that go off when patients try to get out of bed or move without help.

Each year, a typical nursing home with 100 beds reports 100-200 falls. As many as 3 out of 4 nursing home residents fall each year. Many of these go unreported. 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. Patients often fall more than once. The average is 2.6 falls per person per year. About 35% of fall injuries occur among residents who cannot walk.

How serious are these falls?

• About 1,800 people living in nursing homes die each year from falls.
• About 10% to 20% of nursing home falls cause serious injuries; 2% to 6% cause fractures.
• 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.

By 2020, Pennsylvania’s 60 and older population is expected to be 25% of the total population to more than 3 million people. By 2020, the number of people age 85 or older is also expected to increase 10% to more than 360,000 residents. (2007 Census) Pennsylvania’s long term care cost is higher than the national average. Medicaid pays an average of $7.50 per hour for care services in nursing homes. Nationally, the average annual cost for a private room in a nursing home is $74,806. The average annual cost for a private room in a Pennsylvania nursing home is $77,646. In the greater Philadelphia region, the cost is higher for a nursing home private room, at $91,954 annually (Genworth Financial 2007 Cost of Care Survey).

What is the difference between medicare and medicaid? Watch the video to learn more:

The great majority of Pennsylvania Nursing Homes and other long term care facilities do a great job but resources are limited and sometimes our loved ones do not get the care they need. Today’s video is an introduction by me, Attorney Sean Patrick McDonough. In the past I have provided testimony for Congress regarding the Impact of Predators in Long-Term Care on Small Business Operators and continue to speak publicly about our loved ones and the challenges they face in long term care facilities. The 5 part series will have a new video published each week and is broken down from a presentation I presented on The Evaluation and Preparation of a Nursing Home Abuse Case.

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According to available estimates, between 1 and 2 million Americans age 65 and older have been injured, exploited, or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depended for care. Data on elder abuse in domestic settings suggests that only 1 in 14 of these incidents come to the attention of authorities. 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.

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Pressure ulcers and the infections that can result from them are often preventable in the nursing home setting. If you have a loved one in a nursing home make sure that the resident is checked to make sure that he or she is not suffering from breakdowns of the skin. At DLP our lawyers have years of experience in dealing with cases of abuse and neglect in the nursing home and personal care home setting. Attys Pat Dougherty and Sean McDonough can answer any questions that you may have in the event that you believe that a family member has been subjected to abuse or neglect.

Bed Sores or Pressure Sores

• Bed sores can develop after extended pressure or rubbing on vulnerable areas of the body. Bed sores are sometimes called pressure sores or pressure ulcers, and most commonly occur on bony or cartilaginous areas of the body.
• Bed sores are classified into five stages based on their severity. Complications may arise among nursing home patients with bed sores due to a lack of blood circulation.

General Overview of Pennsylvania’s Elder Population & Issues affecting Nursing Home Residents

Pennsylvania’s Aging Population

• Pennsylvania has almost 2 million citizens over age 65 (2007 Census)
• By 2020, Pennsylvania’s 60 and older population is expected to be 25% of the total population — more than 3 million people. By 2020, the number of people age 85 or older is expected to increase 10% to more than 360,000 residents. ( 2007 Census)

Long-term care statistics

• Nearly 70 percent of those turning 65 this year eventually will require long-term care in their lifetimes (2006 Congressional Quarterly Report).

Pennsylvania’s Nursing Homes

• Pennsylvania has approximately 725 nursing homes with over 89,000 beds (PA Dept. of Health).
• Nursing homes, on average, are more than 91% occupied (PA Dept. of Health).
• Nationally, the average annual cost for a private room in a nursing home is $74,806. The average annual cost for a private room in a Pennsylvania nursing home is $77,646. In the greater Philadelphia region, the cost is higher, at $91,954 annually (Genworth Financial 2007 Cost of Care Survey).
• In Pennsylvania, the typical nursing home resident is more likely to be female, over the age of 85, widowed and have some form of dementia (PA Dept. of Health).

How big is the problem?
In 2003, 1.5 million people 65 and older lived in nursing homes. If current rates continue, by 2030 this number will rise to about 3 million. 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. Each year, a typical nursing home with 100 beds reports 100 to 200 falls. Many falls go unreported. As many as 3 out of 4 nursing home residents fall each year. That’s twice the rate of falls for older adults living in the community. Nursing home patients often fall more than once; the average is 2.6 falls per person per year.

About 35% of fall injuries occur among residents who cannot walk.

Pennsylvania's Again Population Infographic – DLPLaw

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<a href="http://www.dlplaw.com/2011/12/27/pennsylvanias-aging-population-of-senior-citizens-in-nursing-homes/"><img title="pennsylvania nursing home abuse" src="http://www.dlplaw.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/infographic.jpg" alt="Pennsylvania's Again Population of Senior Citizens Nursing Homes" width="612" height="792" />Pennsylvania's Aging Population - Nursing Homes - DLPLaw</a>

How serious are these falls?

• About 1,800 people living in nursing homes die each year from falls.
• About 10% to 20% of nursing home falls cause serious injuries; 2% to 6% cause fractures.
• 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.

Attorney Sean McDonough, head of the nursing home litigation section of Dougherty Leventhal & Price LLP–DLP—recently spent three (3) days in Nashville Tennessee securing testimony involving a nursing home neglect case.  Attorney McDonough is currently handling nursing home/personal care home neglect cases through Pennsylvania and other states.

Dougherty Leventhal & Price,  DLP,  notes that partner John Finnerty is investigating a death which occured at the Veteran’s Medical Center.  Attorney Finnerty has retained experts to assist his clients.  Attorney Finnerty is one of twelve lawyers at DLP–Pennsylvania Truck Accident Lawyers—handling serious injury cases throughout Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.  Attorney Finnerty along with Attorneys Cal Leventhal and Tom Cummings handle Pennsylvania Workers Compensation cases in the Marcellus Shale Gas Counties including Bradford, Sullivan, Wyoming, Susquehanna, Potter, Tioga and Lycoming.  DLP–PENNSYLVANIA TRUCK ACCIDENT LAWYERS.

Dougherty Leventhal & Price LLP,  DLP, is proud to announce that partner Cal Leventhal is the only named Super Lawyer* residing in and with principle office located in Wayne County Pennsylvania.  Attorney Leventhal heads the DLP workers compensation department.  He also was the first plaintiff lawyer to obtain a verdict in excess of one (1) million dollars in Wayne County history.  Attorney Leventhat can be contacted at his office in Honesdale, Pennsylvania

*As selected by Philadelphia Magazine