Tag: nursing home abuse

Police Make Arrest for Nursing Home Abuse in New Jersey

A North Bergen nursing home worker was arrested recently for nursing home abuse that may or may not have lead to the death of an 87 year-old resident. Fifty-nine year old Julia C. Galvan, also of North Bergen, was arrested and charged with assault, abandonment, and neglect. Since her arrest, she’s posted $5,000 bail and has been fired from Harborage, the facility in North Bergen, New Jersey where she worked.

Nursing Home Abuse of Defenseless Resident

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers harborage facility north bergen
Julia C. Galvan
The victim of Galvan’s abuse was 87 year-old Modesta Alvarado. On January 15th, 2011, Galvan decided to wake Alvarado by slapping her in the head. Once Alvarado opened her eyes, Galvan followed up with two additional blows to the elderly women’s face. Alvarado was paralyzed and terminally-ill and had no defenses against Galvan’s depraved abuse. The only defense Alvarado did have was a “Nanny Cam” placed in a clock radio that caught the whole event on tape. North Bergen Police Liuetenant Frank Canella commented on the what he saw on the tape, saying that it was very disturbing. He commented further:

“This woman lies in a bed, defenseless. She was unable to defend herself. There are reactions she makes with her face and her mouth and her eyes in response to the blows. It was difficult for me to watch. The video was shocking.”

Police made the arrest after being presented with the week long footage that Alvarado’s daughter had gathered on the hidden camera. The footage also showed Galvan violently tearing off the elder woman’s oxygen mask, a task she was neither qualified nor permitted to perform.

Police say that the attack does not appear to directly cause the woman’s death, but that the investigation is being handed over to the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office to determine if other charges need to be filed.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadlephia

The treatment that Modesta Alvarado received from Julia Galvan was deplorable. Unfortunately, this case is not the onle one of it’s kind. This abuse happens in nursing homes and long term care facilities nation wide, and measures need to be taken to stop it. If your loved one is a resident in a nursing home and you believe the care they are receiving may be abusive or negligent, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

The nursing home abuse lawyers at the Mininno Law Office are here to answer your questions and to help you earn due compensation.

Nursing Home Abuse Costs Haverford Facility Its License

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers haverford facility licenseTwo weeks ago, we posted a nursing home abuse blog about the Quadrangle nursing facility in Delaware County, PA. The story revolved around the depraved abuse of 78 year-old dementia patient Lois McAllister and the orderlies that mocked and abused her, forcing her to walk around her room naked while they stood and laughed. McAllister’s family caught the abuse on tape, and the staff members involved were arrested and charged.

Today, we are happy to report that, due to this extremely abusive behavior, Sunrise Continued Care, the parent company of Quadrangle, has had their license revoked. Sunrise is no longer licensed to operate Quadrangle, and no longer able to intentionally humiliate it’s residents. Ronald Melusky, acting director of the Pennsylvania Department of Public Welfare, said that investigations into Quadrangle discovered gross incompetence, negligence, and misconduct at the Haverford care facility. The McAllister’s attorney commented on the DPW’s decision to revoke the license, saying, “[Quadrangle] violated the most basic tenets of trust and respect for their residents.”

The license revocation was a victory not only for Lois McAllister and her family, but for the current residents and their families as well. Luckily, the McAllisters caught the abuse on tape, but other families may not be so lucky. Hopefully, a relocation will provide the remaining residents with a chance to receive better, more respectful care.

Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Attorneys in NJ and PA

If your loved one is currently a resident at a nursing home or similar long term care facility, pay close attention to their condition and the kind of care they receive. Your attentiveness is crucial to their continued safety at a nursing home. If you are worried that the care they are receiving is indeed negligent or abusive, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Nursing Home Negligence in West Virginia Takes Life

new jersey philadelphia nursing home lawyers HCR Manorcare neglectA woman in West Virginia has filed a lawsuit against the nursing home that she believed killed her family member via nursing home neglect. The suit was filed by Angela Black of West Virgina against HCR Manorcare in Kanawha Circuit Court. The wrongful death suit claims that Rose died after receiving poor care which led to malnutrition, dehydration, untreated bedsores, and infection. While there, Rose suffered mental and physical trauma, and ultimately, death.

Manorcare is a huge network of nursing homes with over 500 facilities in 32 states. The Mininno Law Office has blogged on the poor conditions and negligent care of Manor Care facilities in New Jersey for the past year. Manor Care employs about 60,000 workers nationwide and has been cited for many deficiencies, ranging from small, facility-related violations, to larger, more dangerous, care-related violations.

Negligent Care Leads to Death

Arcel Rose and his loved ones depended on HCR Manor Care to provide adequate, supportive, and attentive care in order to carry on the remainder of his life with as much comfort as possible. Instead, nursing home negligence and abuse took Rose’s life.

Malnutrition, dehydration, and bedsores/pressure ulcers are sure signs that neglect is taking place, and are totally unacceptable in a nursing home facility.

Nursing Home Neglect Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is currently a resident at a nursing home and you fear that the care they are receiving may be considered negligent or abusive, you probably have a lot of questions and concerns regarding your loved one’s future. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Lawyers Can’t Reform Nursing Home Industry Alone

new jersey philadelphia attorneys nursing home abuse lawyers help reform industryThe New England Journal of Medicine published an article last month that discussed research done on the correlation between a nursing home’s inspection results and it’s risk of being sued. Not surprisingly, the more frequent the deficiencies, the more likely that facility is going to be sued for nursing home abuse or neglect.

Researchers used information gathered through programs called OSCAR (the Online Survey, Certification, and Reporting System) and MDS (Miniumum Data Set) Quality Measure Indicator Report. The OSCAR system contains all survey and certification information for any Medicare and/or Medicaid certified care facility in the U.S. The MDS system contains information on the physical and cognitive functioning of nursing home residents and is recorded on a monthly basis in order to track care processes and their effectiveness. That data is then used to grade quality of care provided by each individual home.

The study also utilized information provided by five of the nation’s largest nursing home chains regarding tort claims filed against any of their facilities within the country. All information spanned the time from 1998 to 2006.

What did the Research Say?

In that time, it seems that nursing home litigation decreased, having occurred 1.5 times for every 1,000 patients in 1998, and only .3 times for every 1,000 patients by 2006. Nursing home falls and bed sores/pressure ulcers maintained the strongest relationship with the number of claims filed against a home. So, based on this research, the stronger the frequency of falls and bedsores, the lower the quality of care and the higher the risk of civil action.

Researchers stated that while there is indeed a correlation between poor care and lawsuits, the relationship is not strong enough to allow for sole dependance on litgation to reform the nursing home industry. Other steps must be taken to ensure that our loved ones are being properly cared for once that care escapes the realm of our capabilities.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one is a resident at a nursing home or long term care facility and you believe the care they are receiving could be considered abusive or negligent, contact the the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. Our team is dedicated to advocating for nursing home patient and resident safety. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Abuse in Burlington County Facility Revealed by Inspections

As nursing home abuse lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia, it is necessary for us to expose nursing homes that show signs of nursing home abuse and neglect. Sometimes we find nursing homes and long term care facilities with a history of dangerous bed sores and pressure ulcers. These nursing homes are clearly showing signs of abuse and neglect. Other nursing homes have a large number of citations and are also considered to be negligent.

Palace Rehabilitation and Care in Maple Shade, NJ

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers Palace Rehabilitation Care CenterThe Palace Rehabilitation and Care Center in Maple Shade, NJ is one such long term care facility. The Palace Rehabilitation and Care Center is a for-profit, corporately owned nursing home with 165 long term patient beds. From February 2009 to January 2011, this Burlington County care facility was inspected on 6 occasions. It was additionally inspected 12 more times based on complaints. During these inspections, it was cited for 55 separate deficiencies. Some of these citations were for failing to maintain a drug regimen free from unnecessary drugs, failing to keep medication errors below 5%, and failing to prevent the spread of infection. This nursing home was also cited for failing to keep the facility free from abuse and involuntary seclusion. These are sure signs of abuse and neglect, and the type of deficiencies that can lead to harmful and painful bed sores and pressure ulcers as well. Before you place your loved one in a long term patient facility, it is very important to research and be aware of these signs of neglect.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one has been abused or neglected at this Burlington County nursing home, or another long term care facility, you should contact a nursing home abuse attorney for help. Our attorneys want to help you protect your loved ones rights. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, and (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Somerset County Nursing Home Cited for Bedsore Treatment Deficiencies

As NJ and PA nursing home abuse lawyers, we have a commitment to exposing nursing homes with average records and signs of abuse and neglect. Today we will examine a nursing home in Somerset County.

Greenbrook Manor Care in Somerset County, NJ Cited for Many Deficiencies

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers greenbrook manor care somersetAccording to Medicare’s Nursing Home Compare System, the Greenbrook Manor Care nursing home is an average nursing home. However, although it is considered average, we have seen that the amount and types of cited deficiencies appear to make it ripe for abuse and neglect.

Greenbrook Manor was routinely inspected on two occasions between December 2008 and November 2010. During those inspections, this long term care facility was cited for 19 separate deficiencies. This for-profit, corporately owned nursing home was cited for a variety of issues including the failure to have an abuse and neglect policy in place, failure to be free of medication errors less than 5%, failure to provide and serve food in a sanitary manner, and failure to be free of hazardous conditions.

One of the citations was for failure to prevent and properly treat bed sores and/or pressure ulcers. This, in particular, is a clear sign that the nursing home is performing in an inadequate and neglectful manner. Bed sores are extremely painful and dangerous, and can be prevented by simple preventative efforts. Prevention of bed sores is the best medicine, as they are easier to prevent than to treat. The fact that Greenbrook Manor has been cited for bed sores both during a routine inspection and based on a separate complaint inspection exposes a clear pattern of abuse and neglect at this nursing home. Family members need to be aware and protective of their loved ones in such long term facilities.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

If your loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home or long term care facility, a nursing home attorney may be able to help. Our attorneys are dedicated to eradicating the disturbing trends of abuse and neglect in our nation’s nursing homes and long term care facilities.
Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation if you suspect your loved one has been a victim of abuse. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, and (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Nursing Home Abuse at Chicago Facility: Alden Village North

A month ago, the Chicago Tribune online published a story about Alden Village North nursing home, a long term care facility meant to house disabled children, adults, and senior citizens. The story revolved around 5 additional deaths that an investigation into the home was able to attribute to poor care and nursing home abuse.

Investigators Seek to Close Negligent Nursing Home

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers negligence discovered chicago facilityThe federally backed watchdog that performed the investigations, Equip for Equality, found the care provisions at Alden Village North deplorable. Illnesses were never treated properly, lab tests and results went ignored, doctors failed to return pages of medical charts, and investigations into resident deaths were superficial and incomplete.

The Chicago based advocacy group, Equip for Equality, was awarded the right to investigate the home because it is part of a larger, nation-wide network, granted powers by Congress to protect the rights of the disabled.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

Nursing home abuse is a widespread and troublesome trend in today’s long term care facility industry. We depend on these homes to provide attentive and proper care to our loved ones, and instead, in some cases, they end up facilitating death. If your loved one is a resident in some sort of care facility and you are worried that the care they are receiving is negligent, abusive, or inadequate, contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Let the nursing home abuse attorneys at the Mininno Law Office advocate for the rights of your loved ones.

Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys Report on New Laws to End Elder Abuse

new jersey philadelphia nursing home negligence lawyers report elder negligenceNursing home abuse has become such a wide spread problem that some states are looking to crack down on offenders. Citing an increase in abuse of the elderly and vulnerable, some state lawmakers have advocated for adding persons convicted of elder abuse to a registry of offenders similar to the registry of sex offenders. While this new law would not increase penalties or make any new conduct criminal, it could go a long way in deterring and preventing future incidents of nursing home abuse and neglect.
Unfortunately, most states do not have such laws in place and it appears that nursing home abuse is still on the rise. That is why it is important for family members with loved ones in nursing homes to pay attention to how their relatives are being treated.

What are some signs that someone I care about is the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect?

Stay in frequent contact with any relative or loved one in a nursing home. Make time to speak with them and make sure the staff knows you are present and that you care. You presence alone could serve as a valuable deterrent to potential abuse. Furthermore, carefully watch for signs of abuse: Warning sings include bruising, unexplained falls, bed sores (also known as pressure sores or pressure ulcers) and incidents of septic shock. If your loved one is a fall risk, proper precautions should be taken. Bed sores should be a rarity and should not ever advance past stage two. Septic shock, which almost always occurs from a lack of proper sanitation, should also be a rare occurrence. If a bed sore or septic shock results in hospitalization and/or extensive treatment, you are right to have serious concerns. If you suspect abuse, contact appropriate state agencies and speak with an attorney experienced in handling such cases.

Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers in NJ and PA

The Nursing home negligence Lawyers at the Mininno Law Firm are experienced in handling nursing home neglect cases. They will fight for you! Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Pennsylvania.

Get Legal Representation: Nursing Home Abuse Still Widespread

Despite continued efforts by nursing home abuse lawyers and various governmental agencies, recent studies have shown that in some northeastern states, as many as one in seven people above the age of sixty have been subject to some form of elder abuse. In some states, as many as over 250,000 senior citizens suffer from incidents of elder abuse in any given year. These statistics are a sobering reminder for anybody who has a loved one currently receiving care in a nursing home facility.

How Do I Know if My Loved One Has Suffered From Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect?

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers neglect still widespreadFirst of, if you have any concerns, consult with an experienced attorney as well as appropriate state agencies. Telltale signs of nursing home abuse are the presence of bed sores, also known as pressure ulcers. Bed sores occur when a nursing home patient is left immobile in one position for too long, causing skin in sensitive areas to loose circulation. This causes tissue damage and eventually kills the skin cells. If caught early and treated properly, bed sores can be easily remedied. However, if neglected, a bed sore can progress past stage two, causing serious health problems for affected nursing home residents.

Another indicator of nursing home abuse is septic shock. Nursing home residents who require regular cleanings but fail to receive them are often susceptible to septic shock. This is a serious infection that is almost always preventable with proper daily cleaning. If you have a loved one who has suffered from septic shock more than once or who has been hospitalized for septic shock, there is a good chance they are not being cared for properly. Take action for those who cannot take action for themselves: Contact an attorney and appropriate state agencies to investigate. Often times abuse is not discovered until it has progressed for some time, but it is never to late to take action.

Nursing Home Abuse Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

The qualified nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers at The Mininno Law Office know how to get results and make a difference in your case. They can get the results your loved one deserves. Contact the Mininno Law Office if you have any questions regarding the health and safety of your loved ones. You may also call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey, or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

Septic Shock is Number One Indicator of Nursing Home Negligence

new jersey philadelphia nursing home abuse lawyers septic shock indicator negligenceAccording to the Nursing Home Complaint Center, a website sponsored by the consumer advocacy group America’s Watchdog to provide people with a place to report the varying nursing home abuse events they have encountered, sepsis, also know as septic shock, is the number one indicator of intense nursing home abuse or neglect.

These infections are usually preventable with normal and regular cleaning, but when they do develop, they often require trips to the hospital emergency room or even admittance to an intensive care unit. There is no excuse for this level of abuse.
If you know somebody in a nursing home who has been diagnosed with septic shock and has been hospitalized as a result, that person may be a victim of nursing home negligence. If that is the case, you should seriously consider contacting authorities, as well as an attorney.

How Do I Know if Septic Shock is a Result of Nursing Home Abuse or Neglect?

If someone you know has been diagnosed with septic shock infection while residing at a nursing home or long term care facility, that person could very well be the victim of nursing home negligence. Septic shock is most often caused by improper and infrequent cleaning of residents that require regular cleanings as part of their normal care. If a resident of a nursing home or long term care facility is diagnosed with septic shock more than once, or requires a trip to the emergency room or admittance to an intensive care unit, this is a major indicator that the resident is not being properly cared for. This is a clear sign of nursing home abuse and neglect. If this is taking place, the nursing home or long term care facility is simply not doing their job.

Nursing Home Negligence Lawyers in New Jersey and Philadelphia

The skilled Pennsylvania and New Jersey nursing home negligence attorneys at The Mininno Law Office have years of experience and are committed to exposing and stopping the unfortunately widespread problem of nursing home abuse and neglect. Contact the Mininno Law Office for a free case evaluation, or call for a free consultation at (856) 833-0060 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia, if you would like to discuss a nursing home abuse case.