Category: nursing home abuse

The 10 Worst Nursing Homes in the Tri-County Area: #10

Nursing Home Abuse is a serious issue in today's long term care industry. It's time we started to attack the facilities that do not provide respectful and attentive care to our elderly citizens.

In a series of 10 blogs, the Mininno Law Firm will be revealing the 10 worst nursing homes in three of our surrounding counties- Camden, Gloucester, and Burlington. The ratings of these nursing homes were determined after inspection of health standards, staffing, and quality measures. Nursing homes can receive up to five stars. The facilities you will read about in the series have all received just one.

The Fountains at Cedar Park

The Fountains at Cedar Park is a long term care facility located in Atco, New Jersey. It participates in Medicare and Medicaid, has sixty certified beds, and is #10 in our list of the ten worst long term care facilities in the tri-county area. Based on the last two inspections the facility received, it’s failing on a large number of counts to provide services that meet professional standards. Inspection reports show isolated incidents of hazardous obstructions. They show patterns of drug regimens including unnecessary drugs (abuse), unsafe, unsanitary, and uncomfortable living conditions (negligence), improper housekeeping and maintenance (negligence), and regulations on meal frequencies not being met (abuse). The same reports show widespread instances of unsanitary conditions in food prep and service areas.

The Fountains at Cedar Park was found in their Quality Measures inspections to have higher than national and/or New Jersey percentage averages in the following areas:

• Long stay residents whose need for help with daily activities increased
• Long and short stay residents who have moderate to severe pain
• Long stay residents who are more depressed or anxious
• Low-risk long stay residents who lose control of their bowels or bladder
• Long stay residents whose physical independence became limited
• Long stay residents who developed urinary tract infections

Inspectors determined that the facility failed to give residents care and services to get or keep the highest quality of life, it failed to give professional services that met a professional standard of quality, and it failed to make sure the nursing home was free of dangers that could cause harm. A lot of these issues stem from the staff: negligent care takers who fail to spend appropriate amounts of time with each of their patients. Long-term care facility negligence and abuse run rampant throughout the industry.As you’ll see in future blogs, the amount of it is shocking.

Nursing Home Abuse and the Mininno Law Office

If you or a loved one has suffered injury or loss due to nursing home negligence or nursing home abuse, you’ll need proper representation. The Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers at the Mininno Law Firm are here to help you receive the compensation you are due.
Contact us to fill out a free case evaluation form, or call us for a free consultation: (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Note: Conclusions in this blog were formed from data provided by the State of New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services and Medicare.

Healthcare Reform: Helping Our Senior Citizens

Healthcare reform is set up to do wonderful things for the long term care industry.
Healthcare reform has been a hot issue for years. It’s obvious that our healthcare system, nursing homes, and long term care facilities are in dire need of help, but figuring out exactly how to provide that help has proven difficult for lots of reasons. But on March 30th, 2010, President Barack Obama signed the final healthcare legislation approved by the senate, wrapping up his momentous effort to enact healthcare reform.
The Legislation was called “The Healthcare and Education Affordability Reconciliation Act of 2010.” The Act is going to change healthcare, and more importantly, nursing home and assisted living facility care, as we know it. Some changes will not be immediate, but change is coming.

What Do These “Changes” Mean?

Many families are wondering what those changes will mean for our senior citizens; especially for those who may need to enter a nursing home and/or long term care facility. At least one nursing home advocate has strongly supported this measure. That supporter is Cheryl Phillips, MD, president of the American Geriatrics Society. Ms. Phillips is excited about what healthcare reform means for our elderly citizens, saying:

“All told, healthcare reform includes numerous, important provisions that will improve elder healthcare now and in the future, and support geriatrics careers. The AGS has long advocated for these provisions.”

There is a substantial list of changes coming to nursing homes and long-term care facilities after the enactment of healthcare reform. Some of those changes include:

• Long Term Care Insurance – Under the Community Living Assistance Services and Support Act (CLASS), all Americans will be automatically enrolled in a long term care insurance program. This insurance can be used by seniors who need to be placed into an assisted living facility or a nursing home. Citizens will have the ability to opt out of the program. If they choose to stay enrolled in the program, citizens will start paying a premium immediately and will be able to benefit from the program after contributing for 5 years. The yield is expected to be about $50.00 a day.

• Patients will immediately begin receiving rebates for prescription drug costs that fall into the Medicare Part D gap. Overtime, the gap will be phased out entirely.

• Drug manufacturers will be forced to provide discounts on brand name drugs.

• Nursing Home Transparency and Improvement Act – this nursing home and assisted living facility act will require that nursing homes provide consumers with plentiful and up-to-date information about the quality of care nursing homes provide. These standards will address the prevention of bed sores and pressure ulcers in nursing homes; address fall protection to prevent injuries from falls; and provide seniors in nursing homes with quality of life standards. This is a massive weapon in the fight against sub-par care standards in nursing homes and long term care facilities. The AARP has called this bill “one of the most significant nursing home reform initiatives in two decades.”

• Patient Safety and Abuse Prevention Act – this will create a national system of background checks, to prevent nursing home employees with criminal backgrounds from working in the long term care setting. This Act is designed to protect nursing home abuse, physical assault and sexual assaults by staff members.

This is just a brief list of the many changes headed for nursing home and assisted living facility care. Advocates of nursing home care reform are thrilled by the imminent changes, looking forward to an increased quality of care and decreased instances of nursing home negligence and nursing home abuse. These healthcare changes will hopefully do wonderful things to prevent nursing home abuse so our senior citizens can get the care they deserve.

Has Nursing Home Abuse or Negligence Affected You?

If you or a loved one has suffered the effects of nursing home negligence or abuse, the attorneys at Mininno Law Office are here to help you get the compensation you deserve. Contact us for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at 856-833-0600 in New Jersey or 215-567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Nursing Homes: A Cure For Incontinence?

Electronic Underpants could bring an end to incontince related complications in nursing homes.

We at the Mininno Law Firm are advocates for health and safety in nursing homes. We applaud any and all uses of technology that could improve the quality of life for patients in nursing homes and convalescent centers. Anything these facilities can employ that will help prevent bedsores, patient falls, and prolonged pain or discomfort , is something this firm stands behind. That is why we post this blog about a new technology that could potentially end patient complications due to incontinence.

The product, developed in Australia and focused on incontinence management, could change the way elderly citizens are cared for. Simavita, a “company established to develop solutions that improve quality of life across the global spectrum,” has been developing the product for the last ten years. Simavita’s “SIMsystem” is a new continence aid that will revolutionize the way caretakers handle patient continence. SIMsystem, or Smart Incontinence Management System, will work towards four separate goals:

1. To limit the time patients spend in soiled undergarments.
2. To limit the time caregivers spend on incontinence management.
3. To use the data collected by the SIMsystem to schedule bathroom visits to eventually prevent events on incontinence.
4. To limit costs for facilities on incontinence consumables.

How Does it Work?

The product is, in laymen’s terms, a pair of electronic underpants. Under a disposable pad lies a sensor strip that measures frequency and level of incontinence. Ultimately, the use of the sensor strip is imperative to prevention of incontinent events. The entire system works as a 4 step process through the SIMserver.

1. An incontinent event is read by the SIMbox.
2. The event is recorded on the computer at the time that it occurs.
3. The caregiver is notified over the facilities paging system, or via SMS text message to a mobile phone or pager.
4. The caregiver tends to the patient implementing required procedure, and the intervention is recorded via the SIMbox.

The Chief Executive of Simavita, Phillipa Lewis, says:

“Incontinence Management is a key area in which innovative technologies can benefit aged care. We developed SIMsystem to provide greater comfort and dignity to the elderly while aiming to significantly lower costs for aged care facilities.”

When asked about the safety of the product, Lewis called the product “completely safe,” using very low power as well as the accepted form of wireless technology for body worn products. Some naysayers have commented on the ethics of the new invention, claiming that the tracking portion of the system is an invasion of privacy that may work to diminish dignity, rather than the opposite.
In the end, however, it seems that removing patients from incontinence pads and gaining them some form of freedom does much more to build dignity than the tracking does to take it away.

Incontinence is a very time consuming aspect of a nurse or caregivers job. It’s often necessary to for caretakers to check for incontinence upwards of ten times a day. The SIMsystem will potentially cut the time spent on incontinence management in half, freeing up time to pay attention to other dire needs of patients.
With this new technology, currently being used only in care facilities in Australia, the quality of life for elderly patients in nursing homes and convalescent centers will gradually and greatly improve.It’s not really clear how long it will be before the SIMsystem is being used world wide, but hopefully, it will be soon. Far too many of our elderly citizens are being victimized by their own incontinence, and by nursing home attendants not providing the proper care and attention.

Has Your Loved One Been Victimized by Nursing Home Abuse?

If you or a loved one have suffered from this kind of negligence at a nursing home or care facility, you need help. A New Jersey trial attorney will help you receive the compensation you deserve. Contact us to fill out a free case evaluation form, or call us at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia for a free consultation.

How is elderly fall risk connected to chronic pain? We have the answer

Yesterday, I talked about how to keep elders safe. I mentioned how a slip and fall might not do much to you or me, but it could severely injure an older person. Today, let’s discuss elderly fall risk.

People fall all their life. As kids, we fall during play and other activities — kids love it. A child’s human body is flexible and bones rarely break even from the worst falls. Unfortunately, as people get older, their bodies become more fragile. When a middle age person falls, their bodies hurt for days and weeks. But, again, usually the bones don’t break.

However, when an elderly person falls there is a risk of catastrophic injuries because the aging human body becomes much more fragile. Up until recently, the correlation between aging and the severity of injury resulting from falls has been well known. However, a recent study has shown that there is another factor that also increases the likelihood of a severe injury when an elderly person falls. That factor is chronic pain.

What contributes to elderly fall risk?

There are many factors to consider. For example, studies show that increasing age, poor health and medication use all increase the risk of fall to elderly person. But, it was not until recently that researchers “stumbled” upon chronic pain as another factor. In an article in an issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers examined 749 patients age 70 and older for more than two years. The study results show that chronic pain increases elderly fall risk by 1.5-fold. In other words, those who suffer from chronic pain are 1.5 times more likely to suffer from a fall.

What can I do to prevent elderly fall risk in my relatives?

Pay close attention to your loved ones. That’s probably the single most important thing you can do. Make sure your parents and grandparents live in a safe environment with sturdy stairwells, handrails, ramps and well-kept floors. If your loved one is in a nursing home, that’s one thing to look for. If someone should fall, even if it doesn’t seem serious, call a doctor and have it checked out. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.

If something happens to your loved one in a nursing home, first call a doctor. Next, call a nursing home abuse lawyer. Your relatives deserve safety and proper care at a home. If they’re not getting it, please let us know. Our experienced civil trial attorneys are always available to help. Call (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Pennsylvania.

Help keep elders safe with simple acts of kindness that will brighten their day

Together, we can help keep elders safe. If we each chip in and do our part, we can make life better for senior citizens. After all, one small, good deed can change a person’s day. In light of the recent weather, I thought of an easy way we can help.

How can I help keep elders safe?

This winter, a record snowfall has hit the greater Philadelphia region. Some sidewalks are still unshoveled, roads are slushy and driveways are icy. If you see elderly people trying to cross the street, help them out. They’ll surely be grateful you offered.

The slippery slush can be dangerous for anyone walking around, but older people may not have the balance or physical strength that you do. Older people are more susceptible to injury. Put simply, the human body becomes more fragile with age. A slip and fall may not harm you or me, but an older person might wind up in the hospital. More on this tomorrow.

It’s important to help keep elders safe because abuse and neglect are both still problems in our society today. Older people need our guidance more often than not. Unfortunately, even nursing homes aren’t as safe as they could be, and if you have a loved one in a home, there are a number of signs you should be looking for to make sure your relative is safe and sound.

Meanwhile, more snow is coming, so keep elders safe by lending a hand where you can. The snow will soon melt and turn to ice, which will be even more dangerous. Watch out for icicles falling from rooftops. Be careful out there.

Do you have questions or answers about nursing homes?

Add a comment to our blog about how you keep elders safe. At the Mininno Law Office, you can talk to a nursing home abuse lawyer to answer your questions about your loved one. We have experienced NJ attorneys who handle these cases all too often. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have or offer any help you need. Call (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Pennsylvania.

Medical malpractice data should be easily accessible for public viewing

Did you know that medical malpractice data about your local hospitals and doctors is being hidden from you? We’re not talking about a few little facts. We’re talking about 20 years worth of medical malpractice data, including 460,000 records of medical malpractice lawsuits.
This is data that the public SHOULD have access to but doesn’t. It doesn’t sound fair, does it? You’re right of course — it’s not fair.

Why is medical malpractice data being hidden from the public?

It may sound obvious to you, but medical malpractice data is being hidden because there are some people who don’t want you to see it. The American Medical Association is probably the biggest culprit here. Reported by Tulsa World, the AMA is telling us that the information in the database is inaccurate and unreliable. Do you believe that?

Let’s go back to the question at hand. This medical malpractice data contains information about doctors’ mistakes. Now can you see why an organization like the AMA would not want this information to get out? This data could hurt doctors’ reputation because if people found out that their particular doctors frequently made mistakes, they might just switch doctors.

Why is it important to publish medical malpractice data?

Medical malpractice data is incredibly important for any patient. If you knew which doctors have made mistakes and which haven’t, you would have an easier time picking a doctor for an operation, treatment or whatever your need may be.

Also, this data would help other doctors explain the risks and benefits of medical treatment. A doctor and a patient could each do their own research and make better, more informed decisions.

Finally, if a doctor knows that his or her mistakes will be on a public record, perhaps that doctor will be just a little more careful with a patient. We have all seen examples of how public scrutiny changes behavior and acts as a check and balance system on irresponsible conduct.

More than anything else, don’t you have the right to know? We pay for medical treatment. We are the customers. You deserve proper medical attention and care, and if your physician’s mistakes are being hidden, you do not have all of the information needed to make important medical decisions.
The best way to get information is to just ask questions. Ask your doctor, ask your friends. Do some research. Sooner or later, you’ll find what you’re looking for. If for some reason you can’t get the information you want on your doctor, it may be time to look for a new doctor. You should always know the quality of care you can expect to receive.

What if I’m not getting my questions answered?

Talk to a medical malpractice attorney. At the Mininno Law Office, we have experienced New Jersey lawyers who have dealt with these cases all too often. We’d be happy to answer any questions you have or offer any help you need.
Call (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Pennsylvania.

Visiting a nursing home requires observation and communication

Visiting a nursing home is not an easy thing to do. The truth is, one visit can have huge implications for someone you love. You can learn so much just by spending a little time at a home, talking with staff and absorbing the atmosphere.

When visiting a nursing home, you should have a sharp eye and be very observant for anything that stands out — good or bad.

When visiting a nursing home, what should I look for?

When you’re visiting a nursing home, you want to gauge the morale of residents and staff, but most importantly, you want to know about one word: care. How are residents cared for? What’s the quality of care? Do employees truly care about the residents or are they just doing their job? This is really the best way to help you choose.
Let’s face it. It is difficult to care for our own loved ones, who may have enormous needs and medical problems. It takes a special person to be able to care for the elderly on a daily basis. Look at staff members. Do they seem like they really care about the patients; or are they just collecting a paycheck and doing a job?

These are all important questions to ask yourself during your visit. It may help to bring a pen and a pad. Ideally, you’ll gather tons of information that you can’t possibly remember, so write everything down so you don’t forget. A checklist is one way to approach note-taking. We suggest you go to Medicare.gov, which has a great nursing home checklist.

What else should I do when visiting a nursing home?

We’ve discussed observing the care that residents get when you’re visiting a nursing home. Observing is just step one. Step two? Talk. Communicate. Talk to the employees. But most importantly, LISTEN to what they say. Do they refer to the residents by name, or call them “clients and patients.” Spend time with residents as well. Ask employees to introduce you to residents.

Here’s an even better idea: Talk to other visitors — families who have residents there. Call in advance to find out when visitors are most likely to be there, and then talk to them. Exchange e-mail addresses and get the real scoop. Ask them what they think of the place. Ask them about the care their relatives are getting.

Although this may be tough, you should bring your loved one if possible. They may be reluctant to interact or even go to the home, but you can learn by watching how the staff treats them on the visit to the nursing home. If possible, let your loved one engage with other residents. Watch staff interact with him or her. See what happens.
This step is crucial. Many nursing homes are businesses that want your Medicaid and Medicare dollars, so if you don’t look carefully and find the right home, your may increase the chances of your loved one becoming a victim of nursing home abuse, neglect or exploitation.

If such a case should arise, though we hope it never does, please contact a nursing home abuse lawyer immediately. At the Mininno Law Office, our certified civil trial lawyers are experienced with these cases and would be happy to help you. Call (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Pennsylvania.

Are nursing homes safe for our loved ones?

Are nursing homes safe?

If you have to decide whether to move a loved one to a nursing home, you should ask yourself, this question: “Are nursing homes safe?” The answer is yes and no: We would like to believe that all nursing homes offer proper attention and care, but sadly, our experience and the statistics show that this is not true for every case. Some nursing homes are safer than others — but no place is truly safe because you are entrusting your loved ones to the care of the strangers who staff these nursing homes.

According to the American Psychological Association’s Office on Aging, “every year an estimated 2.1 million older Americans are victims of physical, psychological, or other forms of abuse and neglect. For every case of elder abuse and neglect that is reported to authorities, experts estimate that there may be as many as five cases that have not been reported”. This is a brutal statistic.

Why are some nursing homes unsafe?

Some nursing homes are unsafe because of elder exploitation, abuse and neglect. Why does this happen? First, remember that nursing homes are mostly profit-driven entities. The less they can pay staff, the more they can pay the shareholders. I’d like you to think about staff in particular. Here are five reasons for abuse:

1. Not enough employees — one less staff member means more profits
2. Under-qualified employees — the less experienced, the lower the pay, the greater the profits
3. Overworked employees — when staff have to do more with less, they become less caring
4. Underpaid employees — when a staff member is making minimum wage, the caring incentive is decreased
5. Stressed and/or frustrated employees — the above factors adversely affect even the most dedicated and caring nursing home workers

A nursing home corporation is driven by economics. The corporate profits are increased by every dollar that can be saved on the number and quality of staff members. These are just some answers for the question, are nursing homes safe? Can you think of any other answers?

What should I do if I suspect abuse?

Contact a nursing home abuse lawyer right away.
At the Mininno Law Office, we have New Jersey certified civil trial lawyers available to help you. Our NJ nursing home abuse lawyers are experienced in nursing home neglect and abuse cases. They can assist you with anything you need. Call (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Pennsylvania.

Choosing a nursing home is a difficult task but a very important decision

Choosing a nursing home is a decision like no other. You’re selecting a new home for someone you love and a place from where they may never return. It’s the toughest decision you may make. So, it’s important to know what questions to ask and what answers to expect. Many nursing homes may appear to be the same, but you will sometimes notice dramatic differences if you examine each one carefully.

If I’m choosing a nursing home, what’s most important?

Choosing a nursing home requires time, research and care. When choosing a nursing home, you have to consider many factors. Most importantly, you should be your loved one’s own patient advocate. Ask tough questions and demand specific answers. Unfortunately, despite the best research, residents are sometimes mistreated or neglected even in a good nursing home. New Jersey malpractice attorneys have seen too many of these cases before.

When choosing a nursing home, what information can help me?

A recent study looked at roughly 16,000 rated nursing homes in the U.S. Here are the good results:

• Homes with high nurse to patient ratios generally received strong ratings. In other words, the more caretakers the better. Be sure to ask about the nurse to patient ratio, not just the patient to staff ratio.

• Homes in the northeast were rated higher than homes in other regions. This is good news if you live here in the northeast but not so good if you live elsewhere.

• More than 2 million Americans return home after staying in a nursing home for fewer than three months. So, a nursing home stay does not have to be a life sentence.

Here are the bad results:

• Homes run by for-profit corporations generally receive lower ratings than homes run by nonprofit corporations. This should not surprise you. Sadly, many nursing homes put profit over people.

• Homes with more than 100 beds generally received lower ratings. Again, no surprise there. Fewer patients versus more caretakers is always better than the other way around.

• More than 500,000 Americans die in nursing homes each year — that’s a tough statistic to swallow.

If the worst should happen to your loved one in a nursing home, though we hope it never does, please contact a certified civil trial lawyer immediately.
The Mininno Law Office is always available to help. If you have questions about nursing homes, our New Jersey nursing home abuse lawyers can answer them for you.

Needed Nursing Homes Struggling to Stay Open

When our loved ones are no longer able to take care of themselves and we have tried but we do not have the right medical care or the time to give them the assistance they need, nursing homes are where we turn. We depend on nursing homes to take care of our loved ones in the best way possible. We expect our loved ones to be treated well, with compassion and to be given the proper medical care as well. Due to the national recession and health reform cuts of $16 billion in Medicare plans, there are many nursing homes struggling to stay open. The nursing homes that are able to avoid bankruptcy and other problems have to make cuts on staff and proper training which leads to nursing home abuse, bed sores, and other types of neglect. We need a place for our elderly loved ones to feel safe and cared for without having to worry about their health and proper medical care. Even states that have been given extra funding for nursing home care are soon going to run out. It is important that we recognize that there is still a need for nursing homes and that we do something to save them and provide better medical care and services in them as well. Our loved ones and their lives may depend on it the way they depend on us.

If you would like to do something to save the nursing homes, you can write a letter to your congressman or attend a local town meeting and tell people how you feel and the importance of nursing homes.

For more information on nursing homes that are struggling, you may visit this web.

If you feel that your loved ones are a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, contact a nursing home abuse lawyer right away. They will help you get the rights and care for your loved one that they deserve to have.