The Hartford Courant has an article about proposed reforms in nursing homes by the Connecticut Ombudsman’s office. I wish the South Carolina Ombudsman’s office would play a proactive role in protecting resident’s care and preventing neglect. Below is a summary of the article. Connecticut’s long-term care ombudsman is proposing reforms in oversight that would protect residents
Woman admits stealing from Hyde Park nursing home January 14, 2008 A former employee of a nursing home faces prison after admitting in court today she stole more than $8,000 from a resident of the home. Melissa Johnson acknowledged she had stolen the money by using the woman’s debit card between February and August 2006.
Indiana Court awarded damages to nursing home whistleblower. A whistleblower who claimed she was fired in retaliation for reporting an employee who was sexually abusing a patient at Heritage Manor Nursing Home in Colfax recieved $17,000. Earlier the state fined Heritage for failing to report the suspected abuse to the state public health department. Judge
Theres an article out of Lafayette, Louisiana about short staffing which points out that short staffing can lead to abuse and neglect in more ways than one. Typically, we think that short staffing leads to poor care because of the high patient to staff ratio, or because of employee stress, but this article points out
The Wall St. Journal has a great article on the use of medications to sedate residents because of short staffing at many nursing homes. Below is an excerpt from that article. Medicaid has spent more money on antipsychotic drugs for Americans than on any other class of pharmaceuticals — including antibiotics, AIDS drugs or medicine
Here is a very interesting story from a resident’s point of view. Billy Bogardus, a retired engineer, said he received poor care while he was a patient in Haven Health Center of South Windsor earlier this year. “You had to beg and plead to get them to pay attention,” he said. Bogardus of West Hartford went