A recent article on USAToday.com reported that the number of people who live to 90 years of age and beyond has tripled in the past 30 years to 2 million and is projected to quadruple by 2050, according to the Census Bureau. As the number of older Americans grows, many…
The New York Times has reported that only one out of seven medical errors and accidents that harm Medicare patients are reported by hospital employees. In the article, Daniel R. Levinson, inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, said that even after medical facilities investigate reported injuries…
We’re often quick to point the finger at nursing homes and long-term care facilities that receive negative ratings, so we were happy to hear that Fulton County Medical Center Long Term Care in McConnellsburg has received AdvisorMed’s 2012 Great Pennsylvania Nursing Home award. According to an article on PublicOpinionOnline.com, the…
According to an article on The Times-Tribune.com, PA Lackawanna Holdings LLC has accused the county of breach of contract, alleging it was not informed of an ongoing agreement with a commercial linen supplier when it bought the county’s nursing home in 2010. The nursing facility, now known as Lackawanna Health…
Delirium, a sudden change in mental status or sudden confusion, is especially common in elderly hospital patients. A patient experiencing delirium may have clouded consciousness and may have trouble focusing or paying attention. Some patients may hallucinate or become paranoid, speech may ramble and thoughts may be jumbled. Some people…
Earlier this month, the Pennsylvania House and Senate passed House Bill 210, making changes to the state’s Family Caregiver Support Program which helps families care for loved ones at home. The bill which Gov. Corbett signed Dec. 22, is funded exclusively with state lottery dollars and federal monies and increases…
Erie County Council accepted a $2.5 million offer from Millcreek Manor for the sale of 88 individual bed licenses as part of plans for a new, combined Pleasant Ridge Manor. Pennsylvania Department of Health and the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare must sign off on the sale. The bed licenses…
As we gather with our families to celebrate the holidays, Anthony Youn, M.D., reminds us in a blog posted this week on CNN.com: thank a nurse this Christmas. Hospitals are one place that you can guarantee will be open for Christmas because medical care never takes a day off. And…
A Holiday Visit may be the perfect time to check up on Mom and Dad. According to AARP, between the eating, drinking and gift-giving, make time to see how elderly relatives are managing. Even if they say everything is ok, AARP recommends looking into four key areas to see if…
According to the Pennsylvania Care Planning Council, caregivers often don’t realize when they are in over their heads, or at a breaking point. The PCPC states a typical pattern with an overloaded caregiver may unfold as follows: > 1 to 18 months – the caregiver is confident, has everything under…