Nursing Home Update - Tuesday, December 30, 2008 13:44 - 0 Comments

Nursing Home Report Finds Widespread Violations

A new report has found that over 91% of nursing homes were deficient in quality of care and other services in each of the past three years. The report also found that a higher percentage of for-profit nursing homes were deficient than were non-profit nursing homes. According to U.S. Census Bureau statistics, 38.7 million Americans are 65 or older. By 2030, that age group will represent 20% of the population.

Many nursing homes have a history of abuse and neglect of residents. Inadequate staffing and medical errors are quite common. The study, which was conducted by the Office of the Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services, found that the most common categories where nursing homes fell short were quality of care, resident assessment and quality of life.

Almost 74% of nursing homes in the survey were cited for quality-of-care deficiencies in 2007. Accident hazards were one of the most common issues. About 58% of nursing homes were cited for resident assessment problems involving professional standards and the qualifications of service personnel. Over 43% of facilities were cited for quality-of-life deficiencies, such as loss of dignity. In addition, almost 43% of homes were cited for dietary service violations. The report found that 17% of nursing homes in 2007 were cited for causing actual harm or immediate jeopardy, and that there is a trend toward violations that are more severe and broader in scope than in the previous two years. The report also gives a breakdown of how each state fared.

Source: Lawyers USA