As we continue our series highlighting the below average nursing homes in New Jersey, today we will discuss a facility in Camden County.
As nursing home abuse lawyers, it is always disconcerting to see the amount of local nursing homes with below average ratings. These ratings are based on the Government’s Official Medicare Site, which provides a nursing home compare system for those interested in researching the background of care facilities in their area. This site compares nursing homes across the country and rates their care on a 5 star standard. A five stars rating places the nursing home well above average, and one star considers a facility well below average.
The Camden County nursing home we will discuss today, Cooper River West, was given an overall rating of 2 stars, which is considered a below average rating. Let’s find out why Cooper River West was given such a below average and unacceptable rating.
Cooper River West Receives Below Average Rating
Cooper River West is located in Pennsauken, Camden County, New Jersey. It is a corporately owned for profit institution, yet it rates below average on the Medicare Nursing Home Compare. Cooper River West has 180 long term beds, and during the period between November 2008 and October 2010, it was routinely inspected 2 times. During these inspections, 15 separate deficiencies were sited. Of those deficiencies, one that was shown to affect a few residents had to do with the improper treatment to prevent new bed (pressure) sores or to heal existing bed sores. This was actually cited at the time of both routine inspections. This is a very important deficiency, as bed sores can be both extremely painful and dangerous to the patient.
Additionally, deficiencies were cited having to do with abuse and neglect policies, as well as medication errors over 5%. During this time, Cooper River West also was subject to 8 complaint inspections with a total of 7 deficiencies cited. Serious issues and harm can arise when a patient is in a below average rated nursing home, and it is very important that a careful review and vigilance is had by that patient’s love ones to prevent nursing home abuse!
Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia
If your loved one is a resident at a nursing home and you are fearful that the care they are receiving may be harming their quality of life, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New JerseyM, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.
The Cumberland Manor nursing home had 2 routine inspections from November 2008 through October 2010. During those 2 inspections Cumberland Manor was cited for 26 deficiencies. Many of the deficiencies cited were considered to either show a pattern or be widespread. Among them were citations for medication error rates of 5% or more, food sanitation and preparation issues, and citations for a pattern of abuses regarding the dignity and respect of the individual patients. 
Today we are reporting about the South Jersey Health Care Center located in Camden, New Jersey. This is a nursing home that has 120 long term care patient beds. In a two year period, from November 2008 until October 2010, this nursing home was inspected on two separate occasions. During those inspections, the nursing home was cited for 16 separate violations. These violations included failure to meet proper safety code standards, lack of proper housekeeping and maintenance services, and food and nutritional issues. Many of the violations were found to occur often, and at least one of the violations was considered immediate jeopardy to residents’ health and safety.
As a family member of a nursing home resident, it is important to be aware of the signs and symptoms of nursing home neglect and abuse. Keep a close watch not only on your loved one, but on the facility in it’s entirety, for the following signs of neglect:
One way to prevent bed sores from forming is to have a staff that is properly educated. Educational programs about bed sore and pressure ulcer prevention should be made mandatory for all levels of health care providers. They should also be made available for patient families so that they can make sure nursing home staff members are giving their loved ones the care they need and deserve. Patients who have the appropriate mental capacity should also be given instructions so that they can be advocates for their own proper care. 
These pressures ulcers and bedsores can be caused by nursing home abuse such as:
At the Mininno Law Office, we know from experience that it can be a difficult for a family to decide whether or not to investigate if a nursing home should be held responsible for injuries to a loved one. Furthermore, it can be quite disheartening at a later time when the law firm a family finally trusted to perform an investigation sends a letter indicating their disinterest. Based upon the experience of 
As far back as 1987, the United States Senate Special Committee on Aging held hearings to determine the scope of abuse that was occurring in nursing homes. The federal government deemed the nature and extent of the abuse occurring in nursing homes to be such a serious concern that at the same time, the United States Office of Inspector General further began an investigation designed to uncover whether or not nursing home abuse was widespread throughout this country’s long term care system. As a result of the Senate and the Inspector General’s investigations, Congress then enacted in the Ombudsman’s Reconciliation Act of 1987, or OBRA .