Pennsylvania Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

According to agingcare.com, skin problems are common among the elderly but while some problems are considered a normal part of aging, others can be a sign of an underlying medical condition such as diabetes, heart or liver disease, or malnutrition. Skin problems can also be an adverse reaction to medication.

The website states dry skin to be the most common skin condition affecting the elderly population, affecting 75 percent of people over age 65.

The loss of oil glands as we age is the most common cause but dry skin can become cracked and infected if left untreated.

With nearly 1,600,000 Pennsylvania drivers over the age of 65, travel in a private vehicle is the most common mode of transportation by these older drivers because it is safe and convenient.

According to tripnet.org, many seniors self regulate their driving traveling only on familiar routes, during daylight hours, and in areas of lower traffic volume. Even with self regulation, many agencies promote the need to update senior driving skills.

AARP issued these Ten Signs it’s Time to Limit Your Driving:

Closing nursing home facilities due to rising health costs and diminishing Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements have forced an emergence of a new model of care that allows many elderly patients to remain in their homes while still receiving the medical care and social services offered in nursing homes.

According to a recent article in The Detroit Times, this new less expensive model involves a team of doctors, social workers, physical and occupational therapists and other specialists providing managed care for patients at home, adult day care centers and in specialist visits.

The article states the number of these programs is expanding rapidly, from 42 programs in 22 states in 2007 to 84 in 29 states today, at a time when many health care experts say nursing homes are no longer a viable option or medically justified for some elderly patients.

According to the Pennsylvania Care Planning Council, many adults, who as children received counsel and wisdom from their parents, are now facing concerns about their aging parents and what will be needed as their health and mental abilities fail.

In an article on carepennsylvania.org, while some children who live miles from elderly parents may call often to check up, it might be time to have a face-to-face visit, to see for yourself that all is well.

The article states assuming that all is well and that your elderly family member knows and does what is best for them, may be putting them at risk. The article suggests becoming a partner with them in care and forming that partnership before a crisis occurs.

Medicare will cover a cardiovascular screening every 5 years according to Medicare.gov.

Since heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, it is important to take care of your heart to stay healthy. Information on the Medicare website suggests starting by talking to your doctor about whether you are at risk for heart disease and then scheduling the appropriate tests which help detect heart disease early and check cholesterol, blood fat, and triglyceride levels.

If your doctor thinks you are at risk for a heart attack or stroke, Medicare information suggests the following steps to be taken to prevent the conditions.

As the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services unveiled their annual Nursing Home Compare List, USA TODAY revealed their own analysis of the list, showing that an alarming number of nursing homes across the country have maintained a 1 star rating – the lowest on the 5-star scale – since the list began back in 2008. We were surprised to find 59 1-star homes here in our own state of Pennsylvania. Some of those homes in our area include:

Saint Catherine Healthcare Center, Ashland
Berwick Retirement Village, Berwick
Mountain View, A Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Coal Township
Dunmore Health Care Center, Dunmore
The Pavilion at St. Luke Village, Hazleton
Mountain City Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Hazleton
The Manor at St. Luke Village, Hazleton
Ellen Memorial Health Care Center, Honesdale
Manorcare Health Services-Kingston, Kingston
The Highlands Care Center, Laporte
Millville Health Center, Millville
Kramm Health and Rehab Center, Milton
The Cedars of Monroeville, Monroeville
Guardian Elder Care Center, Nanticoke
Birchwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Nanticoke
Lackawanna Health and Rehab Center, Olyphant
Green Ridge Care Center, Scranton
Golden Living Center, Scranton
Linwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, Scranton
Scranton Health Care Center, Scranton
Golden Livingcenter-Tunkhannock, Tunkhannock
Golden Livingcenter-Summit, Wilkes-Barre
Riverstreet Manor, Wilkes-Barre
Golden Livingcenter-East Mountain, Wilkes-Barre
Rose View Center, Williamsport
According to the article, homes receive the lowest rating because they are “much below average” compared with others in their states. Some problems that can cause this low rating include consistently dirty equipment and linens, mistreatment and unlicensed caregivers.

In the article, Larry Minnix, president and CEO of LeadingAge, an association of non-profit nursing homes, is quoted as saying, “Nobody wants to see consistent one-stars; they give everybody a bad name.”

The rating system was created to help consumers make decisions regarding nursing home quality. To come up with the ratings, the federal government contracts with states to inspect nursing homes once a year. Ratings are determined based on annual inspections, quality measures, and staff time spent with residents.

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The home health care industry is facing a serious dilemma: low wages are causing high turnover among home health care workers. But to provide better wages, benefits, and overtime pay, the industry would be forced to make seniors pay more for care.

In an article on USAToday.com, Catherine Ruckelshaus of the National Employment Law Project said that high turnover is directly related to low wages. It’s a losing battle from every angle: Seniors feel the effects because they may receive care from different aids rather than the same person. Employers are affected because they must constantly retrain employees. And employees themselves don’t really get a chance to advance in their careers.

In the article, Ruckelshaus said, “They’re making $16,000 a year. No one can live on that. I think we forgot the broader picture here.”

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, PA Gov. Tom Corbett’s proposed budget, released last week, calls for a four percent cut in Medicaid reimbursement for nursing homes with the projected loss about $46.5 million.

That translates to an almost $8-per-day loss in the average Medicaid patient reimbursement of $194, according to the Pennsylvania Health Care Association.

Under the current budget, nursing homes are losing $19.23 per day to each Medicaid patient which is up from a $15.13 loss the previous year.

A Minnesota nursing home is being blamed in the choking death of a resident after it was discovered that he was not supervised while eating, according to an article on AustinDailyHerald.com.

In the article, a Minnesota Department of Health report said the resident was found choking in his room with no staff present. However, the man’s medical record noted that he had aspiration pneumonia and had difficulty swallowing. As a result, the staff was supposed to make sure the man ate slowly and swallowed each bite twice. Staff members were also to ensure the man’s head was elevated 90 degrees while eating and 45 degrees for 30 minutes after eating.

The report did not identify what staff member was responsible for the resident’s mealtime assistance on the evening of this death.

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Little Sisters of the Poor Nursing Home, a 36-bed non-profit corporation run nursing home in Pittsburgh, and South Mountain Restoration Center, a 159 -bed government run facility near Gettysburg in Adams County, were chosen among 39 nursing home facilities across the United States for the magazine’s top ratings.

The facilities earned the highest possible ratings in all four quarters of 2011.

U.S. News’s evaluation of nursing homes is based on data from Nursing Home Compare, a website run by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services which sets and enforces standards for nursing homes. Homes earn an overall rating of one to five stars in health inspections, nurse staffing, and quality of care. To earn a place on the Honor Roll a nursing home has to receive perfect five-star ratings in all categories for all four quarters of the previous year.