Beasley, Allen, Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C.

Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed a bill in to law this week that removes fines imposed on nursing homes that do not meet minimum health and safety standards, according to the Des Moines Register.

Under the new law, nursing homes would no longer be fined for not having competent, licensed administrators or caregivers in their facilities; not having a qualified nurse on duty, or for understaffing at the facility, one of the leading contributors to resident neglect.

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Serious staff shortages at nursing homes in Alberta, Canada, are contributing to resident neglect according to provincial New Democratic Party (NDP) reports in the Edmonton Sun. Last week, the party released 300 reports from unionized workers that allege that staff is so overworked at homes there that they routinely do not feed, bathe, turn or take residents to the bathroom, ultimately denying them their dignity. The report warned that seniors in long-term care were treated like “castaways” and left by staff unattended for hours.

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