Pennsylvania Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

According to a new study, nursing home patients who start a new prescription for some antidepressants, or those who have increased their dosage, are at a higher risk for falls.

An article in U.S. News & World Report discusses these findings in a study conducted by the Institute for Aging Research of Hebrew SeniorLife in Boston. Study author, Dr. Sarah D. Berry, said, "Our results identify the days following a new prescription or increased dose of a non-SSRI antidepressant as a window of time associated with a particularly high risk of falling among nursing home residents." Researchers recommend that patients be monitored closely for at least two days after the addition or change in dosage of such an antidepressant.

The study examined 1,181 nursing home residents who had fallen. Researchers looked at the residents' medication one week and two weeks before the fall. The study found the patients were five times more likely to fall within two days of starting an antidepressant or increasing the dose of their antidepressant.

With more than one-third of the nation's 1.6 million nursing home residents taking some type of antidepressant, the study results are a warning to nursing home doctors and staff. Berry is quoted in the article as say, "Nursing home staff should keep a watchful eye on residents in the days following a non-SSRI antidepressant change to prevent falls and clinicians should avoid making changes on weekends or during times when unfamiliar staff is present."

We post this type of information for you, our clients, who may have a loved one currently living in a nursing home. If you are aware that they have recently been placed on a non-SSRI antidepressant or had their dosage increased, you might want to check with the nursing home staff to be sure they are taking precautions to avoid any falls or accidents. At their age, even the slightest slip or fall for an elderly man or woman can mean severe bruising, broken bones, or more serious injuries.

A study recently published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has found that black patients are more likely to develop pressure ulcers in nursing homes where there are predominantly more black patients than white patients. An article on Reuters.com quotes the study author, Yue Li, as saying, "In general, nursing homes are lacking appropriate resources" and that in homes with more black patients, "the problems are particularly pronounced."

Pressure ulcers, also known as bed sores, happen when the same patch of skin is exposed to too much pressure, and generally happens to patients who are bedridden or confined to a wheelchair. The key to preventing bedsores is making sure the patient is moved or repositioned at regular intervals. Researchers noted that having enough nurses to monitor patients is particularly important to preventing bedsores.

The study followed cases of pressure ulcers in more than 12,000 nursing homes from 2003 to 2008. During that time, the rate of pressure ulcers decreased in patients, but black residents remained more likely to get sores than white residents.

One reason given by the researchers to explain their findings includes that nursing homes with more black patients may not be as well funded or they may not have enough staff. Also, there could be differences in the amount of time a nurse spends with patients and how well those nurses know the procedures for preventing sores.

Nancy Bergstrom, of the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston, is quoted in the article as saying, "Time of staff and training of staff and staff stability in nursing facilities are very pivotal to improving care."

Continue reading "Study Finds Black Nursing Home Residents Have Higher Risk of Bed Sores" »

It was only a matter of time before wireless mobile devices, the same technology that allows us to talk via cell phone and connect to the internet without a cable, found a way to help the elderly in our communities.

McKnights.com recently published an article about how researchers are using wireless mobile technology to track daily activities of living, providing important physical and emotional health data.

An independent study was published in the July/August issue of Annals of Family Medicine. In the study, eight elderly continuing care community residents over the age of 85 wore wireless mobile sensors around the waist for 10 days. The sensors monitored and recorded each resident's daily activities and behaviors. Researchers say the data that was collected could potentially help healthcare providers predict early symptoms of dementia, heart problems, or depression. They added that this method of collecting data was easier to obtain than surveys and other self-reporting forms.

It's not an easy decision to place a loved one in a nursing home. We hope that research and technology like that described above may one day extend the time that an elderly or disabled person can stay in their own home.

We often keep up on the articles published on McKnight's Long-Term Care News & Assisted Living (mcknights.com) because they post many informative articles on the nursing home industry.

In fact, an article was just published last week explaining that in West Virginia, nursing homes cannot use arbitration agreements as a way to fight lawsuits related to residents care. The West Virginia Supreme Court ruled that "disputes should be decided by juries of lay citizens rather than paid, professional fact finders who may be more interested in their fees than the disputes at hand."

Nursing homes' binding arbitrations agreements are used to lower the cost of lawsuits. But several West Virginia families found that arbitration clauses caused their lawsuits to be dismissed.

This is a plus for families in West Virginia who choose to defend the rights of their loved ones who may have been neglected or mistreated in a local nursing facility. The article notes that nursing home residents may not realize the legal implications of what they are signing when they enter a nursing facility. They may not be aware that they are signing my have legal consequences.

We commend the families in West Virginia and the West Virginia Supreme Court for standing up for the rights of the aged and elderly.

The AltoonaMirror.com reported some good news for Cambria Care Center in Ebensburg: they are no longer at risk for losing their Medicare agreement, according to a letter from the state Department of Health.

In March, a fatal assault involving two dementia patients prompted an inspection that uncovered deficiencies at the home, which is operated by Grane Healthcare.

Mark Fox, spokesman for Grane Healthcare, said, "We had to show them we had addressed the last few things that were outstanding, and we did that earlier this week." Those issues included changes to medical record procedures and staff reports.

In the article, Fox notes that Grane can now focus efforts on developing the former Laurel Crest Rehabilitation & Special Care Center campus, which now includes the Cambria Care Center nursing home and a SeniorLife center.

Disturbing details have emerged about the White Owl Manor personal care home in Mahanoy City that caused state officials to close the facility on Friday.

According to the RepublicanHerald.com, the home failed to report the deaths of three residents in June. "We issued an emergency relocation order this morning. We feel the health and safety of the residents are in danger," said state Department of Public Welfare spokeswoman Anne Bale.

The article added that Schuylkill County Coroner Joseph E. Lipsett said there were no pending investigations on any of the deaths at White Owl Manor and that they were cleared as not suspicious.

Relocation of the facilities 32 residents began immediately on Friday and the Department of Welfare gave no advance warning before shutting down White Owl Manor. Michael Race, the director of communications for the Department of Welfare, said, "The department, in conjunction with local human services agencies, works with residents and their family members to identify new homes of the residents' choosing that can safely meet residents' needs. The team helps residents pack belongings, contacts new homes to arrange transportation and takes steps to minimize any anxiety residents may experiences as a result of the action. The department also pays for the residents' care at the new homes until permanent financial arrangements can be made."

According to the article, the only way that White Owl owner James F. McGill, Jr. could reopen the home is if a court rules in his favor on the appeal he filed after the department revoked his license to operate the home. However, someone else could apply for a license to operate White Owl and the department would rule on the application within 60 days.

Along with the unreported deaths, there have been other violations at White Owl personal care home. On April 30, a staff member abused a resident by dragging the resident out of bed, kicking, hitting, and cursing the resident, but the home did not report the incident to the department. On May 1, the same staff member pushed, curse, and yelled at another resident. The facility allowed a 20-year-old employee to work independently on numerous occasions. There were eight days when no employees were present at the home who were certified in first aid and CPR. Medical evaluations of residents were incomplete and in some cases there was no indication that some residents had been given an annual medical evaluation. As a result of these violations, the owner McGill was fined.

In the article, Race is quoted as saying, "The department will not levy additional penalties against McGill, but has referred the case to local law enforcement for possible criminal investigation."

In addition to the violations, the owner of White Owl personal care home was accused earlier this year of access device fraud and identity theft when he authorized an ATM care in the name of an elderly man and spent nearly $5,000. According to the article, McGill obtained the card of a former White Owl resident and used it during August 2010. McGill pleaded not guilty to the charges during a preliminary hearing. Three charges were held for court and the requirement was issued that McGill not visit White Owl Manor. Although he was not permitted to enter the building, he made all the decisions, according to staff. He is free on bail while awaiting county court action on the charges.

Continue reading "Pennsylvania Personal Care Home White Owl Manor Closed by State Officials" »