Tag: pressure sores

10 Worst Nursing Homes in the Tri-County Area: #8

Nursing home abuse leaves residents feeling isolated, helpless, violated, and alone. We must do what we can do put an end to the injustices brought on by nursing home abuse.

    Burlington Woods (Burlington)

Burlington Woods (a for-profit corporation) is a long-term care facility located in Burlington, New Jersey. It participates in Medicare and Medicaid, it has 227 certified beds, and it is #8 in our list of the ten worst long term care facilities in Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties. Based on the last two inspections the facility received, Burlington Woods is failing on a large number of counts to provide services that meet professional standards, and is instead providing negligent and abusive care (nursing home abuse).

Inspection reports show isolated incidents of failure to maintain the dignity and respect of residents. Inspections also showed patterns of nursing home abuse, insufficient housekeeping and maintenance services, drug regimens including unnecessary drugs, and unsanitary food preparation and serving.

Nursing Home Abuse: Burlington Woods was found in their Quality Measures inspections to have lower than national and/or New Jersey percentage averages in the following areas:

• Long stay residents given influenza vaccinations during flu season
• Long stay residents assessed and given pneumococcal vaccinations
• Short stay residents give influenza vaccinations during flu season
• Short stay residents given pneumococcal vaccinations

Nursing Home Abuse: The Quality Measures inspections found that Burlington Woods had higher than national and/or New Jersey percentage averages in the following areas:

• Long stay residents whose need for help with daily activities increased
• High Risk long stay residents who develop pressure sores
• Low risk long stay residents who develop pressure sores
• Long stay residents who spend most of their time in a bed or chair
• Long stay residents who lose control of their bladder or bowels
• Long stay residents whose physical independence became limited
• Long stay residents who have urinary tract infections
• Long stay residents who lose too much weight
• Short stay residents who develop pressure sores

Nursing Home Abuse: Inspectors determined that the facility failed to give professional services that met a professional standard of quality, it failed to provide care that keeps or builds residents’ self respect, failed to store, cook, and serve food in a safe and clean way, and failed to keep accurate and appropriate medical records.
Their largest, most concerning deficiency was one that related to administering drugs to patients. Inspections found that care-takers were failing to regulate dosages of medicine, as well failing to change or stop prescriptions that were causing unwanted effects. Long-term care facility negligence and nursing home abuse, as you can and will further see, are a serious detriment to the long term care industry.

If You Are a Victim of Nursing Home Abuse, Get Help!

If you or a loved one has suffered injury or loss due to nursing home abuse or negligence, 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.

The 10 Worst Nursing Homes in the Tri-County Area: #9

Nursing home abuse and neglect are unacceptable crimes to humanity.

South Jersey Health Care Center (Camden)

The South Jersey Health Care Center (a for-profit corporation) is a long term care facility located in Camden, New Jersey. It participates in Medicare and Medicaid, it has 120 certified beds, and it is #9 in our list of the ten worst long term care facilities in Camden, Burlington, and Gloucester counties. Based on the last three inspections the facility received, the South Jersey Health Care Center failing on a large number of counts to provide services that meet professional standards, and is instead providing negligent and abusive care (nursing home abuse).

Inspection reports show isolated incidents of failure to maintain residents’ nutrition status, failure to develop comprehensive care plans, and failure to prevent or treat pressure sores. They show patterns of nursing home abuse and  less than professional house keeping/maintenance services. The same reports show widespread occurrences of unsanitary conditions in food prep and service areas, and widespread occurrences of hazardous obstructions.

Nursing Home Abuse: The South Jersey Health Care Center was found in their Quality Measures inspections to have lower than national and/or New Jersey percentage averages in the following areas:

  • Long stay residents given influenza vaccinations during flu season
  • Long stay residents assessed and given pneumococcal vaccinations
  • Short stay residents give influenza vaccinations during flu season
  • Short stay residents given pneumococcal vaccinations

Nursing Home Abuse: The Quality Measures inspections found that The South Jersey Health Care Center had higher than national and/or New Jersey percentage averages in the following areas:

  • High risk long stay residents who develop pressure sores
  • Low risk long stay residents who develop pressure sores
  • Long stay residents who have catheters inserted and left in their bladders
  • Long stay residents who spend most of their time in a bed or chair
  • Long stay residents who have urinary tract infections
  • Long stay residents who lose too much weight
  • Short stay residents with moderate to sever pain.

Nursing home abuse: Inspectors determined that the facility failed to give professional services that met a professional standard of quality, it failed to make sure each resident’s nutritional needs were met, failed to store, cook, and serve food in a safe and clean way, and failed to make sure that the nursing home area was free of dangers that cause accidents. Perhaps their biggest failure was their failure to provide immediate updates to doctors or family members when residents’ health or treatment changed, when residents suffered injuries, or when residents needed to be transferred or discharged.  Long-term care facility negligence and nursing home abuse, as you can and will further see, are a serious detriment to the long term care industry.

Have You Been Affected by Nursing Home Abuse?

If you or a loved one has suffered injury or loss due to nursing home abuse or negligence, 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 .

Don't be Fooled, Pressure Ulcers are Preventable

The National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel is an entity that serves as the authoritative voice for improved patient outcomes in pressure ulcer prevention and treatment through public policy, education, and research. On March 3rd of this year, the panel released notice that their recent consensus conference, held at Johns Hopkins Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, determined that there are indeed unavoidable pressure ulcers.
The panel was comprised of 24 specialists in medicine, geriatrics, surgery, specialty nursing, physical therapy, and also included dieticians. The panelists concluded that there were two instances in which the development of a pressure ulcer could not be avoided.

1. Refusal of the patient to participate in his or her own pressure ulcer prevention.
2. Certain clinical conditions such as hemodynamic instability (abnormal blood movement) or skin failure.

We at the Mininno Law Firm see these findings certainly as reasons that pressure ulcers do form, but in no way reasons that their formation is unavoidable. From the beginning of treatment, a vital key to pressure ulcer prevention is assessment. Doctors and caretakers must assess the condition and needs of a patient. Following assessment, the next vital step is planning. If it is determined that a patient suffers from hemodynamic instability, they are therefore more susceptible to pressure ulcers, and additional plans must be made to actively prevent those pressure ulcers from forming.
If a patient refuses to be moved or turned, a doctor or caretaker must then implement additional skin protection strategies. The higher the risk, the more attentive their care must be. A patient that refuses to be turned could also be placed on a special pressure distributing mattress that helps prevent bed sores and pressure ulcers.

Pressure ulcers are a dire affliction that must be promptly treated as they could quickly cause other serious complications to a patient’s health. If you or a loved one is suffering or has suffered from the formation of a bedsore or pressure ulcer, do not hesitate to call for help. The trial lawyers at Mininno Law Office are here to provide the help and representation you’ll need to be compensated.
Contact us or call us at (856) 833-0600 in New Jersey or (215) 567-2380 in Philadelphia.

A Quarter of Nursing Homes Flunk the Test

In mid December, the federal government unveiled its new rating system, which it uses to help advise the public on the quality of care they are receiving from their local area nursing homes. This system will help individuals make informed decisions about the institution they trust with the care of their loved ones.

Under the new system, five stars means a nursing home ranks “much above average,” four stars indicates “above average,” three means “about average,” two is “below average” with a one indicating “much below average.” The rankings will be updated quarterly. Senator Herb Kohl of Wisconsin stated that the new ranking system would help bolster transparency, which is, “…the key when it comes to nursing home quality.”

Unfortunately, along with the progress of informed decision making came the shocking realization that almost a quarter of all nursing homes in the country have been given the federal government’s lowest possible rating: one out of five stars. Receiving such a low rank in particular had to do with the high percentage of patients with bedsores after their first 90 days in the nursing home and the number of residents whose mobility worsened after admission.

When nursing homes are understaffed, over worked, and improperly trained, the results can be catastrophic. Where there is lack of individual patient attention, pressure sores and decreased mobility are sure to follow. When it comes to protecting your loved ones, please pay strict attention to the federal rating system. Alice Hedt of the Insititute for Nursing Home Reform states that, “Our initial reaction is that consumers should probably avoid any facility with a one- or two-star rating and even a three-star rating unless people they trust convince them that the rating is inaccurate or unfair.” However, the rating system alone is not enough to properly judge. Ms. Hedt advises that, “…Nothing should substitute visiting a nursing home when making a decision.”

If you are in the process of finding a nursing home for your loved one, please pay strict attention to the federal ranking system. If you have a family member already in a nursing home, please remember to check on them regularly. Bedsores are a life threatening injury, and should be checked for regularly. If your family member has been subject to bedsores due to a lack of proper care, please contact an attorney to help remedy the situation as fast as possible.

Related Information:

New Jersey Lawyers – Nursing Home Abuse