The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) created a guidebook to teach nursing home staff to properly lift and reposition elderly patients.

The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), a component of the U.S. Department of Labor, published a guide to help nursing home staff learn how to properly move elderly residents.

OSHA’s guidelines are based on ergonomics, an applied science that is “concerned with designing and arranging things people use so that the people and things interact most efficiently and safely.” The suggestions come as a result of extensively reviewed research literature and existing practices.

Additionally, the organization heard comments from trade and professional associations, labor organizations, the health care community, individual firms and others with an interest in learning how to move residents into respite care for seniors and assisted living community for seniors such as this assisted living for River Point of Kerrville and other senior living community options like this popular assisted living community or Residences at Plainview retirement community. For high-quality senior living options, visit sites like summerfieldstockton.com/community-life/.

OSHA transferred the information into a number of helpful diagrams to target visual learners. Each diagram provides evaluation criteria that allows the caretaker to create a personalized plan to transfer patients to and from beds, chairs, toilets, cars, stretchers, trolleys and other equipment.

OSHA recommends that staff members evaluate each resident’s abilities to assist, bear weight and cooperate with the movement.  Injured patients should be given special consideration.

Caregivers should be prepared to utilize different instruments to help lift and reposition patients, including friction-reducing devices, full-body slings and standing assisters. In most cases, more than one staff member should be participating in the motion.

Although the full guidelines can be found on the OSHA website, nursing homes might be unaware of how to properly lift and reposition patients. Without knowledge of quality care practices, it’s possible that shear, pressure or friction can cause the development musculoskeletal disorders and bedsore ulcers.

Individuals who developed bedsores or other injuries while living in a residential care facility might be entitled to compensation. Request a free, no-obligation case evaluation today.

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The skin breakdown occurs in bony areas that lack substantial fat and muscle, such as the shoulder blades, tailbone, elbows, heels and hips. Individuals who experience difficulty moving have the highest chance of developing pressure sores. For this reason, skin injuries are common in nursing homes and assisted living facilities.

If left untreated, bedsores can lead to serious infections like meningitis, cellulitis and endocarditis. However, pressure sores can be avoided when attentive caretakers learn proper prevention practices.

10 Steps To Stop The Development Of Pressure Sores

Pressure ulcers develop in bony areas that lack substantial fat and muscle.
Image: Cancer Research UK

There are a number of ways to limit the risk of bedsores. Nursing home staff members should be attentive, compassionate and well-trained. In-home caretakers can also learn how to avoid pressure ulcers.

Here’s a checklist to make sure elderly individuals get the care they deserve:

• Risk Assessment: Healthcare providers should assess each individual to determine the risk of pressure sores. After an individual has been evaluated, caretakers should create a personalized plan to keep bedsores at bay. And always, always get a second opinion.
• Skin Inspection: Check and double check the skin, and then check it again. Look for inflammation, irritation and color/texture changes. Don’t skip the hard-to-reach areas.
• Moisture Reduction: Wet bedding or clothing should be changed immediately. Moisture creates friction and a breeding ground for infection.
• Incontinence Support: Urine is chock-full of dangerous bacteria. Each care facility should purchase incontinence pads, catheters, rectal tubes and sanitary lotions. For some individuals, setting a bathroom schedule might make a tremendous difference.
• Hygiene Assistance: Skin should be regularly cleaned with a gentle soap and lightly patted with a towel. Harsh, beaded scrubs and alcohol-containing products should be avoided.
• Proper Nutrition: Sores take longer to heal if the body is malnourished. Consult a dietician to be sure that each individual is consuming the right amount of healthy foods. Supplements like zinc and vitamin C, in addition to significant intake of water, is the key to achieving optimal health.
• Regular Repositioning: The biggest threat to aging skin is a long-term lack of movement. Movement stimulates blood flow and ensures that all organs receive nutrients and oxygen. People should be repositioned at least once every two hours, regardless of whether they’re in a bed, chair or wheelchair. Set an alarm as a reminder.
• Exercise: Patients should engage in light exercise. Aids can provide assistance to allow bedridden individuals to access their full range of motion. Even something as simple as lifting each arm and holding it up for 10 seconds can stimulate blood flow.
• Redistribution Equipment: A draw sheet or overhead trapeze can help to minimize accidents when moving patients. Additionally, caretakers and facilities should consider investing in an adjustable bed or wheelchair.
• Basic Comforts: Stock the room with a thick mattress, fluffy pillows, cushions and foam padding. Pillows should be placed under the tailbone, shoulders, heels and elbows. The best way to make sure a resident has what they need is to ask.

Although providing adequate care might seem like a simple task, there are thousands of residents developing pressure sores.

Individuals who developed bedsores while living in a nursing home or residential care facility as a result of neglect of abuse might be entitled to compensation.

Request a free case evaluation today.

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Susan Pedro, a former patient of Oceanside Hawaii Assisted Living, reportedly passed away from sepsis and kidney failure. In the lawsuit, the family claims that untreated bedsores caused the deadly infection.

Complaints of Negligence

Pressure sores can be avoided if residents are consistently cleaned and repositioned.
Image: The Guardian

The lawsuit alleges that Susan developed pressure sores because she was left in a wheelchair for hours without assistance. The infections developed because the staff let her sit in her own waste, according to the court documents.

“The doctor said it was preventable, that if they would have gotten her up, if they would have moved her around, if they would have helped her change her diaper on a regular basis, if they would have given her a bath, I mean, these things could have been prevented, and they weren’t,” Matthew Pedro, Susan’s son, told Hawaii News Now.

Denis Bryant, an owner of Oceanside Hawaii, told the news organization that their care is “fine,” and that families may be setting their expectations too high.

However, according to Hawaii News Now, this wasn’t the only time a resident had left the assisted living facility. Another family moved their mother out of the nursing home in Dec. 2016, due to “short staffing, unclean rooms and lack of care.”

The Hawaii Department of Health conducted a safety inspection in Jan. 2015, reporting dirty floors, the smell of urine, unsecured windows and insufficient employee training.

Susan Pedro, who died a month after her family moved her to Wahiawa General Hospital, is one of many individuals who experienced abuse or neglect in a nursing home.

Individuals and family members injured by neglect or abuse in nursing homes might be entitled to compensation. Request a free case evaluation to learn more about assistance today.

The post Hawaii Nursing Home Sued For Mother’s Preventable Death appeared first on Citizens Report.

It is important to recognize the signs of mistreatment in order to protect elders from the debilitating effects of abuse and neglect, this way you can then find a better service like the one at www.villadesanantonio.com/living-options/independent-living/ and actually prevent it from happening again.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse And Negligence

According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, there are seven different types of elder abuse, including:

Physical Abuse

• bruises, black eyes, welts, lacerations, and rope marks;
• bone fractures, broken bones, and skull fractures;
• open wounds, cuts, punctures, untreated injuries in various stages of healing;
• sprains, dislocations, and internal injuries/bleeding;
• broken eyeglasses/frames, physical signs of being subjected to punishment, and signs of being restrained;
• laboratory findings of medication overdose or under utilization of prescribed drugs;
• an elder’s report of being hit, slapped, kicked, or mistreated;
• an elder’s sudden change in behavior; and
• the caregiver’s refusal to allow visitors to see an elder alone.

Sexual Abuse

• bruises around the breasts or genital area;
• unexplained venereal disease or genital infections;
• unexplained vaginal or anal bleeding;
• torn, stained, or bloody underclothing; and
• an elder’s report of being sexually assaulted or raped.

Emotional or Psychological Abuse

• being emotionally upset or agitated;
• being extremely withdrawn and non-communicative or nonresponsive;
• unusual behavior usually attributed to dementia (e.g., sucking, biting, rocking); and
• an elder’s report of being verbally or emotionally mistreated.

Neglect

• dehydration, malnutrition, untreated bed sores, and poor personal hygiene;
• unattended or untreated health problems;
• hazardous or unsafe living condition/arrangements (e.g., improper wiring, no heat, or no running water);
• unsanitary and unclean living conditions (e.g. dirt, fleas, lice on person, soiled bedding, fecal/urine smell, inadequate clothing); and
• an elder’s report of being mistreated.

Abandonment

• the desertion of an elder at a hospital, a nursing facility, or other similar institution;
• the desertion of an elder at a shopping center or other public location; and
• an elder’s own report of being abandoned.

Financial or Material Exploitation

• sudden changes in bank account or banking practice, including an unexplained withdrawal of large sums of money by a person accompanying the elder;
• the inclusion of additional names on an elder’s bank signature card;
• unauthorized withdrawal of the elder’s funds using the elder’s ATM card;
• abrupt changes in a will or other financial documents;
• unexplained disappearance of funds or valuable possessions;
• substandard care being provided or bills unpaid despite the availability of adequate financial resources;
• discovery of an elder’s signature being forged for financial transactions or for the titles of his/her possessions;
• sudden appearance of previously uninvolved relatives claiming their rights to an elder’s affairs and possessions;
• unexplained sudden transfer of assets to a family member or someone outside the family;
• the provision of services that are not necessary; and
• an elder’s report of financial exploitation.

Self-neglect

• dehydration, malnutrition, untreated or improperly attended medical conditions, and poor personal hygiene;
• hazardous or unsafe living conditions/arrangements (e.g., improper wiring, no indoor plumbing, no heat, no running water);
• unsanitary or unclean living quarters (e.g., animal/insect infestation, no functioning toilet, fecal/urine smell);
• inappropriate and/or inadequate clothing, lack of the necessary medical aids (e.g., eyeglasses, hearing aids, dentures); and
• grossly inadequate housing or homelessness.

If you or a family member experienced mistreatment in a nursing home, you may be eligible for legal assistance and compensation. You can avoid this by looking into various assisted living services such as Sabal Palms senior living thoroughly. Visit sites like orchardparkofpermianbasin.com/independent-living/ for additional guidance.

Before sending your loved one to live in a nursing home, make sure the facility is properly staffed and is well-maintained. You may want to speak to other residents or their families and see how they like living at the facility. These are just a few ways to find reputable services like those at Cypress Court independent living that will care for your loved ones when they are no longer able to care for them themselves due to illness or injury or other issues that can limit their quality of life. In addition to finding a reputable and popular independent living community for you or your loved ones contact an elder law attorney to discuss elder law and Medicaid planning to further protect you and your loved ones when paying for long-term care costs in the future so that you can focus your time and energy on taking care of those who are in need of help most – you family members and friends.

Individuals are encouraged to take a quick, no-obligation case evaluation to learn more.

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A Virginia woman has sued Sentara Life Care for neglecting wounds that allegedly led to the amputation of her grandmother’s leg.

Tomara Carmon-Rogers entrusted the life of her grandmother, Mary Sherrod, to a Norfolk nursing home called Sentara Life Care.

During her time at the facility, Sherrod developed serious wounds that allegedly led to the amputation of her leg.

Although no amount of money will restore Sherrod’s extremity, the family is requesting $4 million in legal damages.

A Patient Neglected For Months

Sherrod’s family said that she was neglected for months, causing her injuries to worsen.
Image: Decubitus Ulcer Victims

In March 2014, a Sentara Life Care staff member attempted to change Sherrod’s sheets. While the linens were being yanked from under her, Sherrod fell to the floor.

Sherrod, unable to walk, is deemed incapacitated. The fall caused 13 wounds to her legs, feet, heels, and buttocks. She is physically unable to maintain the injuries on her own.

Sherrod’s family said her wounds weren’t properly treated. And as months passed, they began to worsen. Sherrod’s right leg had to be removed as a result of the facility’s negligence, according to Carmon-Rogers.

The Consequences of Understaffing

Understaffing often means that many patient’s needs are overlooked.
Image: Preserving DTH Archives

Carmon-Rogers believes her grandmother’s injuries were caused by a multitude of factors. However, she believes the primary reason for the worsening injuries leading up to the amputation is understaffing at the facility.

When a care facility accepts more residents than the staff can realistically handle, it creates a void in administrative checks and balances, follow-up wound management and essential supply maintenance.

During one visit, Carmon-Rogers even recalls having to provide bandages for her grandmother.

“I’ve expressed that to them this is a huge safety issue, when you have nurses here understaffed, overworking them and critical patients,” Carmon-Rogers told 13News Now.

Carmon- Rogers chose to take action against the alleged negligence, and her pursuits are effectively helping to spread awareness and save others from the same fate. One woman, Janice Johnson Palmer‎, was a patient at Sentara Life in 2014 for 11 weeks.

“The nursing care was minimal, it was understaffed and the few good staff overworked. It was such a bad experience,” Palmer said on Facebook. “I will NEVER go back there.”

If you or a family member experienced nursing home negligence, you might be entitled to compensation. Complete a free, no-obligation survey to learn more about legal action.

The post Family Sues Norfolk Nursing Home For $4 Million appeared first on Citizens Report.

An Illinois woman sued a Chicago nursing home on behalf of her late mother whose pressure sores were allegedly caused by the facility’s negligence.

The decision to place a parent in a nursing home is never easy, and it’s no secret that the overall quality of elderly care varies. While some facilities provide round-the-clock attention and treat their residents with compassion and respect, others may be neglectful or even abusive.

There are a rising number of elderly patients experiencing neglect and abuse in nursing homes, but it is possible to take action against the lax care practices that violate state and federal laws.

Chicago Nursing Home Sued For Pressure Sores

Bedsores are preventable if caretakers regularly inspect the patient’s body and reduce pressure and friction on the skin.
Image: Drugs

On Nov. 2, a woman from Cook County, Illinois, named Rochelle Gibson filed a lawsuit against the nursing home that was meant to care for her mother for four months in 2013.

Lillie Gibson was a resident of Jackson Square Skilled Nursing and Living Center from July 13 until her death on Oct. 31. During her time at the facility, she developed pressure sores that affected her quality of life. The bedsores allegedly caused her pain and suffering, adding to her disability and medical expenses.

Gibson’s daughter alleges that Jackson Square’s practices violated the Illinois Nursing Home Care Act (NHCA), which protects the rights and safety of residents living in long-term care facilities. The family is asking for more than $50,000 in damage compensation.

Take Action Against Negligence

Family members may act as advocates for elderly relatives affected by nursing home negligence.
Image: Huffington Post

Nursing home staff members should be trained on how to prevent bedsores. Because patients are meant to be handled gently and repositioned to avoid prolonged pressure, bedsores may be an indication that a parent or relative is being neglected.

If you suspect that an elderly family member has been subject to caretaker negligence, you may be eligible for legal assistance.

Complete a free, no-obligation case evaluation to see if you and your family qualify for compensation.

The post Daughter Files Negligence Lawsuit For Mother’s Bedsores appeared first on Citizens Report.

Despite efforts to demand quality from elderly care facilities, studies show that 1 in 3 nursing home residents is abused.

Joseph Shepter, 76, was a retired scientist who spent his last days paralyzed from a stroke and suffering from dementia in a nursing home in Mountain Mesa, California. The medical report said Shepter died in January 2007 from heart failure caused by clogged arteries.

When he died, nothing seemed out-of-the-ordinary until a staff member from the home reached out to Shepter’s family. After reexamining his death, investigators found he died from a combination of neglect that was made worse by antipsychotics. He had pneumonia, dehydration, sepsis and an infected ulcer.

More than 1.3 million people live in 15,700 nursing homes in the U.S., according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Sons and daughters trust nursing homes to treat aging parents with the upmost care and respect, but allegations of abuse and neglect continue to run rampant. Oftentimes these cases go unnoticed, undiscovered or uninvestigated.

Despite genuine attempts to enact policies that would stop the abuse for good, heart-wrenching stories about mistreated patients at elderly care facilities continue to populate the media.

How Common Is Elderly Abuse?

Statistics show that 1 in 3 nursing home residents is abused.
Via: Ask Barry Now

When a care facility puts profits above resident safety, that’s when a problem becomes an epidemic. Inadequate staffing, high turnover rates and poor training are widespread.

Statistics show that 1 in 3 nursing home residents is abused, according to a study from the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee. The abuse isn’t always physical; it can also be mental, emotional or financial.

The Department of Health and Human Services defines abuse as “the willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain or mental anguish.”

In 2010, a study found that 10 percent of participants reported nursing home abuse in the last year. In the same year, more than half of nursing home staff who participated in the study admitted to engaging in some kind of abuse toward a resident.

Neglect is another form of abuse, whether it’s intentional or unintentional.

In the past six years, the CMS conducted surveys that found more than 330,000 deficiencies in nursing homes. A deficiency is a failure to meet a federal requirement, which is defined by the severity of the deficiency, the potential for harm or the actual harm done.

On top of that, many deficiencies were missed in the initial surveys. The U.S. Government Accountability Office released a report in 2008 that found 15 percent of surveys missed deficiencies for actual harm and 25 percent missed deficiencies for potential harm.

Government Efforts to Stop Abuse 

The CMS has been successful in reducing the amount of antipsychotics given to elderly patients.
Via: NASGA

Federal agencies and advocacy organizations have tried to put laws in place to positively impact the trend of abuse in nursing homes.

Fifty years ago, The U.S Department of Health and Human Services implemented Medicare and Medicaid programs to help fund more than 15,000 nursing homes. If a nursing home wanted to receive federal funding, they had to meet certain requirements. The programs were a national attempt to improve conditions at these facilities.

Measures have been taken to reduce the prevalence of antipsychotic medications in nursing homes, which can seriously threaten elderly patients.

A report was released that showed a large portion of nursing home residents filed for antipsychotic prescriptions. In March 2012, the CMS worked to reduce the amount of unapproved antipsychotics in nursing homes by 15 percent with a December 2012 deadline. The CMS successfully reached the reduction goal in September 2014. They announced a new goal to further reduce the antipsychotic statistic by 25 in 2015 and 30 percent in 2016.

The attempts for better quality care continue in recognition and policy efforts as well.

The Agency For Health Care Administration recognized 958 nursing homes for successfully reducing hospital readmissions, lessening antipsychotic mediation use and increasing staff stability and patient satisfaction in 2014. In 2015, the organization intends to expand the goals to reduce negative health care outcomes and improve facilities function and discharge rates.

Laws are continually being updated to encourage better cooperation. The Affordable Care Act has been revised to include compliance and ethics programs, quality assurance, performance improvement requirements and reporting of suspicion and crime requirements. Resident’s rights, facility responsibilities, and updated food and nutrition requirements will also been addressed.

In 2008, Nursing Home Compare was launched. It’s  a government-run site that provides one to five star rankings for more than 15,000 various facilities based on inspections, staffing education level and quality assurance. However, a large majority of the data is self-reported.

How To Combat the Abuse

Younger family members are essential to making sure their elders aren’t being abused in nursing homes or residential care facilities.
Via: US News

Abuse or neglect can be as obvious as bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, dosage errors, continued falls, bruises from rough handling, clogged breathing tubes or dirty living conditions. However, it can also be very unclear, like a resident left wandering or the repeated hurtful statements to patients with Alzheimer’s.

Family members must take an interest in their elder relatives to confirm proper care is being given.

A 96-year-old dementia patient named Eryetha Mayberry was abused by two staff members at Quail Creek Nursing Home and Rehabilitation Center in Oklahoma. After installing a hidden camera, her daughters saw footage that showed staff manhandling her, holding her down, sticking gloved hands in her mouth and preventing her breathing. The family filed a lawsuit and the Oklahoma jury awarded $1.2 million.

Offenses like this often go unpunished unless discovered and reported. If you believe your family member has been abused, you could be eligible to file a lawsuit. Click here for a free case evaluation.

The post Despite Government Efforts Nursing Home Abuse Continues appeared first on Citizens Report.