Nursing Homes–Are your folks in a safe home?
by Shain Waugh
I remember visiting my great grandmother a few months back at her nursing home, which is located in West Palm Beach, FL. The feeling of security, assurance, and a piece of mind was there with me once visiting the actual facility. The facility was well manicured, pleasant aroma, highly recommended by others, and located in a safe neighborhood. However, the quality of patient care was extremely poor, unprofessional, inappropriate, and bewildering to me as a medical professional. If a patient has ‘drop foot’, that foot must be supported by a non-pressure heel support boot for example, and not left unsupported.
Over the years, nursing homes have declined in its quality of care, value, and public image due to a decline in government funding, nursing shortages, and employee’s desensitization to patient’s needs. The decline in quality has de-compensated so greatly that its has become a primary factor for Medicare and Medicaid. According to the Des Monies Register, there are approximately 128 nursing homes within the U.S.A. that does not meet health and safety regulations. However, only 54 have been made public, which leaves this game of “Nursing Home Russian Roulette” open to all patient’s family members.
Presidential hopeful Senator Obama has voice serious concern and objections to the retention of this list. Since there are 16,000 active nursing home in the U.S.A, there may be others that should be migrated on this list. Most nursing homes have some deficiencies, but the ones illustrated poses immediate threats to the patients well beings.
An intermediate solution for family is to evaluated these facilities personally, obtain second opinions, consult physicians, research nursing home blogs, contact medicare/medicade, understand the facilities plans for quality, and remember your family member comes first.
