A former nursing home director was sentenced to 19 months in prison and 3 years of probation for neglecting a 60-year-old woman. For the full article, click here. According to the article, the resident was in agony for 5 days before staff called an ambulance. Apparently, aides had dropped the resident while moving her into her bed. Unbelievably, the nurse waited 5 days before ordering X-rays: despite multiple Read More
New Illinois Law to Notify Coroners in a Nursing Home Death?
Some Illinois County coroners would like to see a new law requiring nursing homes to report every death for investigation into potential abuse or neglect. For the full article, click here. According to the article, the Illinois State Department of Public Health conducted a pilot project in 10 Illinois counties over the course of a year to determine whether a policy to investigate nursing home deaths by a coroner Read More
Critical Shortage of Care Providers in Nursing Homes…
A recent article notes a critical shortage in nurses and nurse's aides in nursing homes. For the full article click here. The article notes that at a time when the population is aging and more people are entering nursing homes, care is short. According to the article, an American Health Care Association survey released just last month noted alarming statistics: 26 percent, or more than a quarter, of registered nurse Read More
Teens criminally charged with abusing nursing home residents…
Two teenagers working at a nursing home were recently charged with abusing residents in a Minnesota nursing home and four others for failing to report the incidents. They were charged with poking, taunting and groping vulnerable residents according to the article in the Grand Forks Herald. Sadly, it was noted: The Minnesota Department of Health released a report in August showing that 15 residents with Alzheimer's Read More
Nursing Home Abuse Recorded on Secret Video…
Desperate to learn the truth, the family of an 84-year-old resident of a Kentucky nursing home hid a video camera in the resident's room after discovering dozens of bruises all over her body and not receiving satisfactory answers from the staff. Read the full article here. The videotape captured the staff "pulling the resident out of bed by her wrists and neck," and "roughly moving the resident from side to side," Read More
Sexual assault of comatose patient…
A licensed practical nurse at a Virginia nursing home has just pleaded guilty to sexually assaulting a female comatose resident. Read the full article here. The resident had been at the home for about a year and the nurse was found assaulting her by another employee. As I have stated in other posts, especially in situations where your loved ones may be suffering from Alzheimer's or Dementia--or as in this case, a Read More
Children’s Products Get Lead Limit by New Federal Law…
The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 (CPSIA) was signed into law on August 14, 2008. The CPSIA establishes consumer product safety standards and other safety requirements for children's products and "reauthorizes" and "modernizes" the Consumer Product Safety Commission. It is a very strong law involving harsh civil and criminal penalties for those who violate it. Read all about the Act here. One Read More
Illinois State Police Speed Policy Change in Response to Deaths
The Illinois State Police is instituting a new speed policy that calls for a "four tier response code system" beginning January 1, 2009. Read the facts of the new policy here. After two sisters were killed when an Illinois State Police Trooper's squad car crossed an I-64 median last November, Illinois State Police felt it was time to institute a policy to prevent future tragedies. Notably, this is only the second Read More
Another nursing home fined for more than 2 dozen violations…
An Arizona nursing home was found with more than two dozen violations and has agreed to pay the State $17,500 in civil penalties as a result notes the Arizona Daily Star. According to the article, among the violations noted, including a failure to protect its elderly residents from sexual abuse, state inspectors found that the home also failed to timely note that a resident suffered a seizure, fell and was Read More
Holiday Season: Take Note of the Care Provided to Your Loved Ones…
As one recent article points out, the holiday season is the time of year nursing home residents receive the most visits and loved ones should take careful note of any signs of abuse or neglect--especially bed sores. Bed sores are preventable, are not normal, and command immediate attention. If your loved one seems "distant" or has any bruising, scars, cuts or appears unbathed and dirty, take immediate action, ask Read More
