Many people who wind up in a nursing home are transferred there after a hospital stay. But an article in today’s The Washington Post points out a technicality that could block your ability to have Medicare cover the cost of your nursing home stay. Basically, everyone in the hospital is categorized as being in either […]
Know Your Hospital Status to Prevent Medicare Confusion Read More »
In Scotland, the Inchmarlo Continuing Care Retirement Community has a new therapist: Humphrey, a 12-week-old bulldog puppy. He takes his job so seriously that he has his own blog, where he (or his ghostwriter) chronicles his adventures. Recent entries include an account of his visit to meet the Queen of England, watching a rugby match,
Therapy Dog "Writes" Blog Read More »
We all know the current state of our nation’s nursing homes. “Deplorable” is not too strong a word. Some of the problems are simply structural–the average facility is about 30 years old. Some of the problems are due to poor management and lack of caring, and some problems lie in the dehumanizing nature of large
Can a Nursing Home Be Less Institutional? Read More »
People in nursing homes, rest homes, retirement homes, and assisted nursing facilities deserve the best care a society has to offer, not the worst. Residents and their families should never have been subjected to this kind of a nightmare…one that lasted, presumably, for several years. It’s shameful that Warren Gold and Gold Care, Inc., seem to have put playing the system above caring for senior citizens. Stories like these are exactly why HensonFuerst Attorneys spend every day fighting for the rights of abused and neglected elderly residents.
Retirement Home Residents Removed from Substandard Facility Read More »
The Society of Actuaries (SOA) issued a report on medical errors in the United States, in 2008. Get ready for a headache… 2,500 —- the number of avoidable deaths due to medical errors 1.5 million —- the number of injuries due to medical error 6.3 million —- the number of measurable medical injuries 10 million
Medical Errors Cost BILLIONS Read More »
According to an article on WRAL.com, the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) has recommended that the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services fine Britthaven of Chapel Hill nursing home for violations that led to the hospitalization of six patients in February. One patient, 84-year-old Rachel Holliday, died. Ms. Holliday and eight
State Calls for Fines for Britthaven of Chapel Hill Nursing Home Read More »
Aging isn’t always dignified. That’s especially true for people with dementia. Alzheimer’s disease dismantles a person’s life piece by piece: short-term memory is the first to go, followed by long-term memory, recognition of family members, recognition of self, all cognitive abilities. In addition, a person loses physical capabilities–the ability to walk, to talk, to balance,
Dementia in Nursing Homes Requires Special Care…and Compassion Read More »
Ivy Bean was 104 when she died Wednesday, July 28. She was known as “the World’s Oldest Tweeter.” According to the Irish Times, Ivy Bean wrote about her life in Hillside nursing home in Bradford. She started out on Facebook, but had to switch to Twitter when she exceeded her quota of 5000 fans. In
World's Oldest Tweeter Will Be Missed by Thousands Read More »
This week, Illinois governor Pat Quinn signed into law SB 326, a landmark nursing home safety reform bill. This legislation is designed to improve living conditions by increasing the number of nursing home inspectors and nursing staff, and increasing licensing fees. And–perhaps most important–there are provisions designed to reduce chronic violence that has been reported
Nursing Home Reform in Illinois Read More »
From Eye on Dare blog (July 22, 2010): Dare Commissioner Virginia Tillett said this week that Britthaven Nursing Home in Nags Head is not doing an adequate job in caring for the elderly residents of the Outer Banks who are entrusted to their care. Tillett said she has been hearing compliants for the past six
Problems at Britthaven Nursing Home in Nags Head? Read More »