Posts Tagged ‘Nursing Home Abuse’

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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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.

A fact sheet from the National Center on Elder Abuse indicates that “[a]ccording to the best available estimates, between 1 and 2 million Americans age 65 or older have been injured, exploited, or otherwise mistreated by someone on whom they depended for care or protection”. While these incidents do not all arise in nursing homes, unfortunately some do. If you suspect that your loved one has been victimized by nursing home neglect, Attorneys Patrick Dougherty and Sean McDonough of the DLP Law Firm have the expertise to assist your family in evaluating your options. Our elderly should be treated with dignity and nursing home injuries are preventable. Nursing home neglect is unacceptable. The attorneys at DLP can help.

DLP has announced that Attorneys Pat Dougherty and Sean McDonough are leading the firm’s efforts in Nursing Home abuse cases.  Attorneys Dougherty and McDonough are creating a marketing campaign highlighting DLP’s success in complex nursing home and personal care home abuse and accident cases.  DLP has handled numerous elderly neglect and abuse cases.  Attorneys Dougherty and McDonough recently received a verdict in excess of one million dollars for an elderly client and her family for an assault in a personal care facility.  The Federal Court verdict was one of the largest for a nursing home/personal care home sexual assault case in the country.

Attorney Sean McDonough is heading DLP’s nursing home litigation efforts.  Attorney McDonough has attended and spoke at several national conferences on nursing home abuse.  He is handling nursing home abuse cases throughout Northeast and Central Pennsylvania.  He is also in charge of DLP’s new nursing home web site and nursing home abuse litigation unit.

Attorney Sean McDonough is leading the development of the Nursing Home Abuse Department at the Law Firm of Dougherty Leventhal & Price  LLP, “DLP”. Attorney McDonough has developed a specialty in representing loved ones abused in Nursing homes and personal care homes.  Attorney McDonough is currently handling cases in Tennessee and Minnesota.  He is investigating potential cases in Susquehanna and Lackawanna Counties.  Attorney McDonough can be contacted at the DLP office in Moosic Pennsylvania.

Attorneys Sean Mcdonough and Joseph Price recently attended a two day Seminar on Nursing Home Litigation sponsored by the American Association of Justice.  Speakers from throughout the country gave informative talks on state of the art nursing home litigation issues.  Both Attorney McDonough and Attorney Price are members of the National Sub-Committee on Nursing Home abuse and litigation.  Attorney McDonough recently testified before Congress in Washington D.C. on elderly abuse in nursing homes and personal care homes.