California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Blog

Cancer is a Primary Cause of Death in the US

March 18, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

Like most diseases, cancer risk increases with age. This is due to the fact that increasing time allows for cell mutations to accumulate and environmental factors to interact with genetics. Abnormal growth of cells results in a mass called a tumor. Benign tumors do not invade other tissues and are not truly cancerous. Malignant tumors spread to other tissues (metastasize). Cancerous cells impair function of tissue and thus can cause death. Abnormal growth of cells results from disruption of normal cell division, usually occurring due to a series of events over time that alter the cell division process. Typically, multiple mutations combine to affect cell growth. This can be a combination of inherited and acquired genetic effects, as well as environmental interaction.

Nursing Homes Need Higher Levels Of Staff To Prevent Falls

March 17, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

As the older adult population in the United States continues to grow, falls continue to be a major concern in the healthcare industry. Frail elderly patients in nursing homes and assisted living facilities are especially vulnerable to fall events, which can greatly increase the risk of morbidity and mortality. Decline in functional status, the amount and kinds of medications, health conditions, impairments in vision and hearing, cognitive status, the reliance on adaptive equipment (such as canes, walkers, and wheelchairs), and restraints are all significant risk factors for falls in the care facility. Patients who are newly admitted into a nursing home are especially vulnerable to falls—an unfamiliar environment coupled with unfamiliar staff makes fall risk identification and management more difficult in this patient population. Moreover, these newly admitted patients have often suffered from a recent acute care event, thus increasing their risk of falls due to debilitated functional ability.

Special Care Must Be Provided to Patients with Dementia

March 11, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

A significant number of older adults with dementia live in nursing home facilities. Young-onset dementia (YOD), dementia that develops before the age of 65, is a crucial social and clinical problem that leads to critical consequences for patients and their overall wellbeing. Neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPSs) that occur due to YOD have a serious impact on both patients and their families. They include agitation, depression, and apathy. A recent study published this year in the Journal of the American Medical Directors Association sought to understand the prevalence and factors that determined neuropsychiatric symptoms in elderly nursing home residents with YOD, due to its importance for treatment and planning of care services. Researchers of the study hope that its findings will contribute to improving quality of life of nursing home patients with YOD, as well as their families and professional caregivers.

Nursing Home Staff Must Provide Quality Care to Patients with Neurodegenerative Disorders

March 9, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder after Alzheimer’s disease. It is a slowly progressive disorder that diminishes the ability to move, control muscles, and balance. PD is also known as the most common movement disorder that affects an estimated 2% of the United States population age 65 years and older. The disease has an annual prevalence of 500,000, with 50,000 people newly diagnosed each year. In regards to gender, males are more prone to having the disease than females. In regards to race, Caucasians are the most at risk of developing Parkinson’s disease.

Nursing Home Residents with Alzheimer’s Disease Need Quality Care

March 8, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

Alzheimer’s disease is a primary cause of death among the older adult population in the United States. It is a neurodegenerative disease of the brain that, alone, makes up 59% of all senile dementias. Today, over 5 million people in the United States have Alzheimer’s disease (AD), which includes 4.9 million people who are over the age of 65. Moreover, almost 500,000 people under the age of 65 have early onset Alzheimer’s and other types of dementia. It is estimated that a person develops Alzheimer’s disease every 72 seconds. There is currently no cure or effective treatments to slow the onset or development of AD, resulting in a prevalence that could increase to 7.7 million people by the year 2030. It is expected that by mid-century, the population of people with AD will rise to as many as 16 million.

New Research From Stanford Claims to Have Found a Cure for Alzheimer’s Disease

March 7, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the primary causes of death in the United States. An estimated 60,000 people die from the disease every year. The risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease increases with age. Researchers at Stanford University have recently claimed that they have found a way to prevent and even cure Alzheimer’s disease by boosting the immune response of the brain.

Some Drugs for Osteoporosis Increase the Risk of Thigh Bone Fractures

March 4, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

Osteoporosis is a bone disease that is highly prevalent within the older adult population. Often referred to as a silent disease due to its lack of clear outward symptoms, osteroporosis weakens bone structure and durability, increasing the risk of fractures. The areas of the hip, spine, and wrists are the most vulnerable to bone fracture. Some risk factors for osteoporosis are modifiable, such as poor diet and smoking, but others are non-modifiable, such as age. The risk of the disease increases as one grows older, starting in the late-30s.

Care Providers Must Encourage Patients to Engage in Cognitively Stimulating Activities to Delay Alzheimer’s Disease

March 3, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

Alzheimer’s disease is one of the leading causes on death in the United States. Statistics show that someone develops the disease every 72 seconds. Today, there are over 5 million people in America with Alzheimer’s disease, 4.9 million of who are over the age of 65. Moreover, between 200,000 and 500,000 people under the age of 65 suffer from early onset Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias.

Alzheimer’s Disease is Highly Prevalent in the Older Adult Population

March 1, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

Alzheimer’s disease is extremely prevalent in the United States. It is sixth in the leading causes of all deaths and fifth in the leading causes of death in people 65 years of age and older. The disease is characterized by continuous deterioration in mental, functional, and behavioral abilities. Currently, approximately 5.4 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease. However, this number is expected to increase to a million persons with Alzheimer’s disease per year by 2050 due to the baby boom generation, resulting in a total prevalence of an estimated 11 to 16 million people affected by this disease.

Constipation is Highly Prevalent Among The Nursing Home Population and Reduces Quality of Life

February 29, 2016 | by Law Offices of Ben Yeroushalmi

Many patients in nursing homes experience constipation, which is difficult to manage for both patients and nursing home staff. Constipation is not a clearly defined disease, but a general term describing the discomforts someone experiences due to their bowel movements. The prevalence of constipation is higher with age, with the greatest increase in prevalence after 70 years of age. Women are an estimated 2 to 3 times more likely to experience constipation than men. Up to 72% of nursing home patients suffer from constipation.