Elder abuse and neglect within America is very common in nursing facilities, but is a largely ignored issue. However, a new online tool has recently been introduced that promises to change the way elder patient safety and abuse is monitored and understood. Created by ProPublica, Nursing Home Inspect now allows…
It has been estimated that with the “baby boom” generation now approaching retirement age, nearly 25% of the elderly population aged 65 years or older will spend part of their life residing within a nursing home. While the elderly should both expect and receive excellent, loving care at a facility…
In every calendar year, roughly 25% of all the patients in a nursing home are transferred to a hospital or emergency room. There have been recent concerns within the healthcare community that transfer rates are higher than what they should be. A recently published study looks at the frequency of…
A recent study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection looks at the transmission of bacteria in long term care facilities. The researchers reported the results of their experiment in “Effect of an infection control programme on bacterial contamination of enteral feed in nursing homes”. The study measured the spread…
Osteoporosis is an common bone disease, especially in women over the age of fifty. While many medications have proven to be effective in the treatment of osteoporosis, recent studies link a class of drugs called biphosphonates to thigh fractures. Two examples of biphosphonates that are used to treat osteoporosis are…
When it was first adopted, Medicare’s ‘no-pay’ rule was a controversial topic in the world of healthcare. Under the ‘no-pay’ rule, healthcare facilities are not eligible to receive Medicare funding for treatment of conditions acquired within the facility. However, this rule has actually proven to be beneficial to improving quality…
Many couples nowadays work simultaneously and take care of both their aging parents and their children. Coined the “sandwich generation”, these couples may experience a burnout as they have to focus on their job, care for their children, their marriage and the health of their aging parents. A study published…
A recent article titled “Observing How RNs Use Clinical Time in a Nursing Home: A Pilot Study” observes how RNs allocate their time between direct and indirect care of their patients. While direct care generally involves physical and psychological care and the administration of treatments, indirect care is more administrative,…
Recently, the Los Angeles Times reported on a hospital that has been accused of patient dumping. Jesse Bravo, a patient at White Memorial Medical Center here in Los Angeles was admitted to the hospital for treatment of schizophrenia. When he was discharged, Bravo’s wife was not notified and instead, he…
A recent article, titled “Anemia in Nursing Homes: A Complex Issue,” was published in the Journal of American Medical Directors and studied the nature of anemia in skilled nursing facilities, including its causes and treatments. The article cited iron deficiency, protein malnutrition, frailty, and weight loss as some causes for…