Pennsylvania Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

An article on McKnights.com reports that nursing homes who participate in performance-based government incentive programs show improvement in critical care areas.

The Regenstrief Institute and the Indiana University Center for Aging Research looked at the effects that Minnesota’s Performance-based Incentive Payment Program had on the quality of care in Minnesota nursing homes. Their findings showed improvements in target areas such as fall and rehospitalization rates more significantly than non-participating facilities. In fact, they maintained the improvements even after the incentive program ended.

According to the article, Minnesota’s program helps nursing homes to identify their problems, find evidence-based solutions and evaluate their outcomes. The program is financed through state funding.

A study published in the August edition of Health Affairs found that nursing home residents are satisfied with their overall care, but feel they could benefit from improvements to food and activities in facilities.

The study was conducted over three years, using consumer satisfaction surveys in Massachusetts. According to an article on McKnights.com, researchers hoped that their findings might help the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services decide to make consumer surveys a part of national nursing home report cards.

The study was conducted by researchers from University of Rochester Medical Center Department of Public Health Science, the University of California, San Francisco, and the University of California, Irvine. They found that nursing homes with higher staffing levels and fewer citations often had higher satisfaction rates. They also discovered that non-profit and government owned facilities scored higher than for-profit homes.

The experts are calling it a “demographic tsunami” — next year nearly 3 million Americans will turn 65. And with the annual price of a private nursing home at $80,000, that’s out of reach for many older Americans. So what are the options?

According to an article on CBSNews.com, seniors living at home face hazards in addition to their medical conditions. They may want to continue living at home, but they are at risk for falling and breaking bones.

But a new program in Baltimore, Maryland offers hope to those who might not be able to afford a nursing home. The goal of the “Capable” program is to help low-income seniors from getting injured in their home. The program provides nurses and occupational therapists. It also provides handymen who can install a second handrail on a stairway or add grab bars in a bathroom.

Last week, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia announced that it was considering the sale of six of its Catholic nursing homes and one assisted-living facility.

In an article on CatholicPhilly.com, Archbishop Chaput said, “Our difficult financial situation must be addressed and the actions that we need to take may be painful ones. I understand this fact fully, but it is of critical importance that we rebuild our financial foundations so that we can continue our collective good works.”

The article reported that the archdiocesan Catholic Health Care Services’ annual report showed the nursing homes had an operating deficit of over $1 million in 2012.

Those opposed to the sale of the Falling Spring Nursing and Rehabilitation Center gathered on Tuesday at Courthouse Plaza in Chambersburg. Their purpose: to make the commissioners reconsider the sale of the Franklin County home.

According to an article on PublicOpinionOnline.com, about 650 people have signed petitions on Change.org in the hopes of stopping the sale of the county-owned nursing home. At stake, they say, is the quality of care of the residents. In the article, Dr. Sheri Morgan is quoted as saying, “My concern is we’re going to see a decrease in the quality of care. That is unacceptable. Right now, we have an excellent quality of care, and there’s no reason to jeopardize the excellent quality of care for no reason.”

Protestors presented the petitions to the commissioners at their regular meeting Tuesday morning.

Last week, Beaver County commissioners tentatively agreed to sell the county’s nursing home to a New Jersey-based company.

According to an article on TribLive.com, the sale price of Friendship Ridge in Beaver, PA won’t be announced until the agreement is finalized. But the commissioners said that ownership of the facility could be transferred by the end of October.

The sale of Friendship Ridge began in May when the commissioners said the home was costing the county millions of dollars. There are nearly 600 people who work at the 589-bed home. Friendship Ridge is just one of many of Pennsylvania’s county nursing homes that are being sold to for-profit companies as a way to salvage county budgets. But there is debate about the care that residents receive at for-profit facilities.

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Two Iowa nursing home employees were fired for posting an inappropriate picture of a resident on the internet.

According to an article on USAToday.com, the Bishop Drumm Retirement Center in Des Moines reported to police that employees had taken pictures of a nursing home resident and posted it on the internet through social media. The nature of the photos and the number of photos was not released.

The facility issued a statement saying, “Publishing such photos of a resident, allegedly taken by rogue employees, not only violates Mercy and Bishop Drumm’s core values — it also violates the human dignity of the resident. All employees are educated about Protected Health Information which includes photos. In addition they learn about elder abuse and how to prevent it. Such behavior cannot and will not be tolerated.”

The resident’s family was also made aware of the situation.

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A new study by the Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality, Social & Scientific Systems, Inc., and Abt Associates has found that three-fifths of long-stay nursing home hospitalizations could have been avoided.

According to an article on McKnights.com, hospitalizations that could have been avoided included those for infections, injuries, and congestive heart failure. The study examined clinical risk factors, facility characteristics, and state policy in relation to hospitalizations. The clinical risk factors included renal disease, diabetes, and a high number of medications. Also included as potentially avoidable risk factors were staffing, quality, and reimbursement.

By identifying risks, the study hopes to help in the design of clinical strategies to reduce hospitalizations.

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For the second time in three months, a incident involving the safetey of a resident has occurred at Weatherwood Nursing and Rehabilitation Center in Weatherly. Police are investigating reports that a female resident was placed in a recreation room by a nurse or nurse’s aide who then shut off the lights. The resident is reported to have been left in the room for hours.

According to an article on the CitizensVoice.com, the incident took place July 8. Management at the facility called police and no charges have been filed, although the investigation continues. The police then notified the State Department of Health and Department of Aging of the incident.

This incident happens just three months following the death of an 85-year-old female Weatherwood resident, after she had be allegedly shoved to the floor by a male resident and bumped her head during a minor fire at the facility. It is reported that the male and female residents had words during the fire evacuation but were left alone by workers. The incident took place in April and the male Weatherwood resident has been charged wtih involuntary manslaughter in the female resident’s death.