Bedsores, also known as pressure ulcers, are often caused by unrelieved pressure to any part of the body. Though easily prevented by turning a patient every two hours, if left untreated, bedsores can be fatal.

Researchers pulled from two data sources – the national repository of the Minimum Data Set, a federally mandated report of health status, function and demographics on all nursing home residents; and the Oscar database system, which collects information on patients and nursing homes through the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services. The research included nursing home residents who were 65 years old and older and living in nursing homes in California, New Mexico, Texas, Arizona or Colorado.

The study was led by Michael Gerardo, adjunct assistant professor of community health at Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University. Co-authors included Joan Teno, M.D., professor of community health and medicine and end-of-life care expert, and Vincent Mor, chairman of the Department of Community Health. Mor also served as lead author for a 2007 study that suggested blacks were more likely to live in poor-quality nursing homes than whites.

The researchers concluded that more research was needed to determine the implications of their findings.

Source: Brown University

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Study: Hispanic nursing homes provide lower quality of care

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The lawsuit claims that Skilled Healthcare Group issued a rule that Latinos must speak English only, even with other Spanish-speaking residents at the home, while on nursing home grounds, and during breaks. However, that rule was not enforced with individuals from other ethnic groups, such as Tagalog. The Latino workers also claimed they suffered from other forms of harassment from nursing home management.

The nursing home group disputed the allegations, saying it settled the lawsuit to avoid an expensive and time-consuming lawsuit.

One Latino nursing aide said a Spanish-speaking resident told her in Spanish that she needed to use the bathroom. When the aide responded in Spanish she was told by a supervisor that she would be disciplined and possibly fired if she continued to speak Spanish while at work.

The conscent decree requires Skilled Healthcare Group to divide $180,000 among 53 workers as well as offer them English classes. Upon completion of the classes, each worker will receive an additional $2,500. The nursing home group also will provide antidiscrimination training. The group was also instructed to hire a monitor to ensure the home complies with federal law.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Nursing home group must pay Latino workers in discrimination lawsuit

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Ombudsmen provide a valuable service to the elderly. Not only do they serve as advocates to nursing home residents, they also investigate and resolve complaints and make unannounced visits to nursing homes to ensure residents’ needs are being met. An estimated 40 percent of nursing home residents have no family or friends to visit with or advocate for them.

A spokesperson with Ombudsman Services of Northern California says mandatory reporting of incidents has dropped though the number of residents in the homes has increased – a formula which doesn’t make sense. The group is concerned that the 1,600 northern California nursing homes and assisted living facilities regularly serviced by the program will begin to see a rise in senior abuse.

Instead of visiting assisted living facilities once a month and nursing homes weekly, since the budget cuts ombudsmen visits have dropped to once a year for assisted living facilities and monthly for nursing homes.

According to the report, Assemblyman Dave Jones, (D) Sacramento, has co-authored legislation to restore ombudsman funding. That bill would direct money to the ombudsman programs from fines levied against care home operators who break the law.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › CA long-term care facilities suffer from cuts to ombudsman program

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The victim, 54, was a resident of Raintree Convalescent Hospital. He suffered from dementia and schizophrenia which caused him to have difficulty swallowing his food. When he moved into the home in June 2006, doctors ordered that he follow a soft diet and required supervision while he ate as he “stuffs his mouth with food.”

On Nov. 19, 2008, the man was given a lunch of spaghetti with two whole meatballs, tossed salad, roll, two cookies and milk. A certified nurse’s aide served the man in his room and then left him alone to eat. While the man ate, the meatballs became lodged in his throat. He walked out of his room and up to a nurse in the hallway. He was pale and unable to speak and then collapsed. Nurses performed the Heimlich maneuver but were unable to dislodge the food from the man’s throat. Cardiopulmonary resuscitation was performed but the man died.

The cook and the nurse’s aide were fired for negligence and the nursing home conducted a dietary training for all nursing staff. Though new procedures were put in place, the home received a AA citation from the California Department of Public Health. AA citations are rare and are the most serious penalty a California nursing home can receive, according to the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Nursing home receives steepest penalty in resident’s death

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The cost to refund the program would come from penalty accounts, or accounts paid into by nursing homes who have been fined for not complying with federal and state laws.

Feuer also introduced a bill that requires nursing homes to prominently post quality care ratings so that individuals seeking long term care for family members can make educated decisions on the care options available to them. The ratings are based on a federal five-star program that rates nursing homes based on health inspection results, staffing levels and quality measures.

A third bill introduced by Feuer seeks to establish the Reverse Mortgage Elder Protection Act of 2009, offering new rights for senior citizens considering reserve mortgages. Reverse mortgages are a special type of loan that gives homeowners access to their home’s equity in cash payments to supplement income. While reverse mortgages can be beneficial, they may not always be in the best interest for seniors. The bill establishes new guidelines between consumers and reverse mortgage salespeople in an effort to protect seniors from being taken advantage of.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › California lawmaker proposes bills to protect vulnerable seniors

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Authorities began to investigate Kern Valley Healthcare District’s Lake Isabella facility in January 2007 after an ombudsman reported to the California Department of Public Health that a patient had been held down and given an injection by force. An investigation revealed that at least one patient was given injections of mood-altering drugs because she was biting, hitting and kicking others. She never regained consciousness. Another received an injection after arguing with the nursing director and stayed in a zombie-like state for a week.

The California Attorney General’s office says 22 patients were involved. All victims suffered from dementia. Three patients may have died from complications from the drugs and one other may have suffered injuries.

An investigation led to the arrests this week of director of nursing Gwen Hughes and pharmacist Debbi Gayle Hayes. Dr. Hoshang Pormir, a staff physician, is also facing charges for approving the medication requests without first examining the patients. Hughes and Hayes face eight felony charges of causing harm or death to an elder or dependant adult and two felony charges of assault with a deadly weapon through overmedication. Pormir faces eight felony charges of causing harm or death to an elder or dependent adult. If convicted, all three face up to 11 years in prison.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Nursing home staff arrested for administering mood-altering drugs

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It was DeLeon’s job to make sure Palko’s care was paid for. Instead, she went on a shopping spree, even paying cash for a new car and using Palko’s vehicle as a trade-in. Within two years, Palko was left with just $47 in her bank account and more than $55,000 in nursing home fees.

Last February, DeLeon applied for medical assistance government benefits, which led to the investigation that uncovered the theft.

”In my 18 years on the bench, I’ve never seen one with such an exorbitant amount,” District Judge David Plachko told DeLeon at her arraignment on two felony theft counts and one of theft by failure to properly handle Palko’s finances and pay for her care. While this is the largest fleecing seen by authorities there, District Attorney James Goodman said, “unfortunately, we’re starting to see cases like this, with large amounts.”

Cases of financial abuse are not uncommon among the elderly. In January, we told you about Connie Gay Cole, who conned her grandparents out of nearly a half million dollars. And then there is the story of Larry Bekis, who swindled all the money from his mother’s account leaving her in debt to the nursing home where she lived.

Safe State, a program by the California Attorney General’s Office, offers these tips to help identify the signs of elder financial abuse. Those who suspect financial abuse of a loved one should contact police.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Another nursing home resident becomes a victim of financial abuse

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When he died, staff told her Mr. Kittower died peacefully in his sleep.

But when Mrs. Kittower received a call the day after burying her husband from an employee at Silverado, she was devastated. The caller said that shortly before Kittower died she saw a fellow employee punch Kittower’s husband’s face and wrap a towel around his head as if to suffocate him.

After an 11-month investigation which included the exhuming of Mr. Kittower’s body, homicide detectives say they have evidence that 20-year-old Cesar Ulloa, who worked in the home, physically assaulted Mr. Kittower in the minutes before and the months prior to his death. Ulloa is being held on $1 million bond and could face charges of elder abuse and torture.

Police also arrested Luis Arrelleano, 21, Juan Soto, 21, and Maria Gomez, 34. The family plans to offer a $10,000 reward for more information about abuse at Silverado.

Silverado officials have not been fully cooperating with the family nor with investigators. Facility officials say that an internal investigation concluded that staff had done nothing improper nor had any connection to Kittower’s death.

Meanwhile, police investigations continue.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › California police investigate elder abuse at assisted living facility

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But John fought back. He saw a poster in his California nursing home about the Ombudsman program, and he made a call. Ombudsmanship Program Director Kathi Toepel paid John a personal visit and, after insisting they talk privately in his room, he asked her to save his toes.

“I’m 92 years old and want to leave this world with the 10 toes the good Lord gave me,” he said.

Toepel discussed John’s case with his doctor and expressed that John was, in fact, able to make his own healthcare decisions. He wanted to save his toes, and Toepel made sure that his will was done.

John lived another 14 months, but he died the way he wanted, with his body intact. “While I understand these are very difficult decisions for family, friends and caretakers to accept, I know that John died with the dignity and respect he deserved,” Toepel said.

Ombudsmen provide a valuable service to the elderly. Not only do they serve as advocates to nursing home residents, they also investigate and resolve complaints and make unannounced visits to nursing homes to ensure residents’ needs are being met. But this valuable program is in jeopardy in California.

According to the Union Democrat, California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used a line item veto to cut the Long Term Care Ombudsman Program out of the budget. The program receives about half its budget from the state. The rest is made up through federal funds and other sources.

While program officials hope the missing state funds will be raised by the community, they are meeting to find ways to through the situation.

This is a tragedy for all nursing home residents, especially the estimated 40 percent who have no family or friends to visit or advocate for them.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › California budget cuts jeopardize nursing home resident advocates

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During this time span, there were 60 days that Parungano claimed to have seen more than 32 patients – a feat that, at 45 minutes per patient, would take more than 24 hours to accomplish.

Last year, Parungano was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for her role in a health care fraud scheme that ultimately cost Medicare more than $3 million.

Though Parungano sits in prison, she remains a nurse in good standing in the State of California and is able to work in any hospital, medical clinic or nursing home, according to a Los Angeles Times and ProPublica investigation. The investigation found more than 100 recent cases where the state didn’t pull or restrict licenses until nurses had three or more criminal convictions. In some cases, these crimes include sex offenses and attempted murder.

California has the largest number of registered nurses in the nation. Hospitals and clinics turn to the California Board of Registered Nursing Web site to check job applicants for any accusations and disciplinary actions, which are posted on the site for the public to review. However, according to the report, the screening process is flawed.

Beginning in 1990, nurses had to submit fingerprints so that the nursing board would be flagged by law enforcement when a registered nurse was arrested. The 146,000 nurses hired prior to 1990 have not had to submit fingerprints. The board, which requires nurses to apply for licenses every two years, also doesn’t ask nurses to volunteer information about criminal convictions that occurred since the last time they applied.

Meanwhile, Parungano sits in a prison, looking forward to the day when she walks free and, possibly, works as a nurse again.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Nurses convicted of crimes still in good standing in California

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Joanne now doubts that decision.

Last month, Luveda fell from her bed in the night and pressed her personal emergency call button. The fall caused a two-inch gash on her leg, which bled out on to the floor of her room at Villa Valencia. Nearly fifteen minutes later, a staffer called 911. When paramedics arrived, Luveda was unresponsive and was later pronounced dead at a local hospital.

The Orange County (Calif.) Register reported today that the family of Luveda has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Orange County Superior Court against Villa Valencai and its owner, Sunrise Senior Living Inc. Joanne contends her mother’s death could have been prevented.

According to the story, a spokesman for the California Department of Social Services said Villa Valencia would be cited for not filing a report about Luveda’s death within seven days of the incident. The citation will require the facility to submit a report on how it would correct similar problems in the future.

While assisted living patients have similar needs to those in nursing homes, they are governed by less stringent regulations.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › Family files wrongful death lawsuit against California facility

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The Times quoted the attorney in the case as saying, “These facilities are giving out brochures about this wonderful, superlative care — one need only look at their regulatory history . . . and see that it’s just not true.” Approximately 4,000 people joined the suit. Contrary to the company’s promotional materials, state regulators found Sun-Mar homes were sorely understaffed and that employees were insufficiently trained.

The attorney laid part of the blame on the California Department of Public Health for not carefully overseeing the facilities, according to the newspaper report. State governments oversee the licensing of nursing homes in each state.

According to the California Public Health Department (CDPH), the department’s responsibility includes overseeing the certification of nursing assistants and licensing of nursing home administrators.

The lawsuit mentioned other facilities across the region where state regulators noted deficiencies. “If everyone had known the regulatory history of these facilities they would not have put their mother or father in them,” the attorney is quoted as saying.

As part of the settlement, a monitor chosen by the plaintiffs’ attorney will inspect five Sun-Mar facilities at random each quarter.

SOURCE: Nursing Home Abuse › California nursing home settles lawsuit

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