Saturday, April 07, 2012

Pennsylvania's nursing homes are in crisis

Pennsylvania's nursing homes can no longer sustain themselves with the latest cuts to Medicaid, according to a health advocate for the elderly. Families who are likely to pick up the slack also are seeing their support threatened.

"Two-thirds of Pennsylvania's nursing home residents are on Medicaid, and for each one of them, a nursing home loses an average of $19.23 a day," said Dr. Stuart H. Shapiro, president and CEO of the Pennsylvania Health Care Association. "These shortfalls are unsustainable."
The proposed $102 million statewide cut in Medicaid funding would be felt at local nursing homes. The PHCA estimates the cuts will amount to more than $700,000 for nursing homes in Franklin County, $2 million in Cumberland, $800,000 in Adams, $100,000 in Fulton and $2.8 million in York.
Few nursing home administrators want to talk about it.
They have little room to cut expenditures, according to PHCA:
-- Staffing a nursing home around the clock makes up 70 percent of nursing home expenditures. At the same time, nursing homes are highly regulated and must meet minimum staffing requirements.
-- Nursing homes, whether nonprofit or for-profit, operate on the lowest margins of all health care sectors - less than 1 percent versus 5 percent for hospitals and home-health and managed-care companies.
"All health care providers lose money caring for those on Medicaid, but nursing homes suffer the most because they serve a much higher percentage of individuals on Medicaid," Shapiro said.
Nursing homes already have cut staff, reduced benefits, canceled renovations and delayed purchases, he said. Many are turning away people on Medicaid because the homes cannot afford to care for them.
Families will feel the emotional, physical and financial stress.

Pennsylvania's nursing homes are in crisis - Chambersburg Public Opinion

Thursday, April 05, 2012

nursing home blamed for resident’s death

A Cy-Fair nursing home is being sued over claims its nursing home neglect caused the death of one of its residents.
Susan Evangelista, individually and on behalf of the deceased Joanne Gilmore, filed a wrongful death lawsuit on March 2 in Harris County District Court against Grace Care Center of Cypress.
Evangelista says on May 10, 2011, Joanne, a Grace Care Center resident, died as a result of continued and ongoing neglect. Grace Care subjected Gilmore to serious physical and mental injuries, according to the brief.Cy-Fair nursing home blamed for resident’s death Ultimate Cy-Fair:

Tuesday, April 03, 2012

Nursing home failed to protect patient from resident with ‘violent criminal record’ — Oak Park & River Forest news, photos and events — TribLocal.com

The family of an Alzheimer’s patient who died after a physical altercation with another patient at Oak Park Healthcare is suing the west suburban nursing home for wrongful death, according to a press release issued Thursday by the family’s lawyers.
The lawsuit, filed Wednesday alleges the facility violated federal and state nursing home regulations in failing to protect patient from physical abuse and failing to provide appropriate supervision, according to the press release.
Anibal Calderon, an 80-year-old resident of the Oak Park Healthcare Center, “was assaulted by a 66-year-old resident with a violent criminal record and felony background,” according to the press release.
Calderon died Feb. 14 after head injuries suffered during the fight at the nursing home two days earlier.
A receptionist at Oak Park Healthcare who declined to give her name said the facility had no comment Thursday.
His death was ruled a homicide, according to the Cook County Medical Examiner’s office.
Police have not charged anyone with a crime and have not released the name of the suspect. Oak Park police also have not released any information on the suspect’s record.
The lawsuit also alleges Oak Park Healthcare failed to promptly report and investigate all suspected physical assault and abuse at the facility, according to the release
Lawsuit: Nursing home failed to protect patient from resident with ‘violent criminal record’ — Oak Park & River Forest news, photos and events — TribLocal.com

Sunday, April 01, 2012

Oak Park nursing home Sued after 80-year-old fatally beaten

The family of an elderly nursing home resident who was beaten to death by a fellow resident of Oak Park nursing home last month has filed a lawsuit claiming the nursing facility failed to protect the 80-year-old from abuse and neglect.

The wrongful death lawsuit against Oak Park Healthcare Center, 625 N. Harlem Ave., was filed in Cook County on behalf of the family of Anibal Calderon.
On Feb. 12, Calderon, who suffered from dementia, was assaulted by a 66-year-old resident with a violent criminal background, the suit claims. A nurse found Calderon unconscious in the Alzheimer’s/dementia ward, Oak Park police said.
Paramedics took Calderon from the extended care facility to Rush Oak Park Hospital, police said. He was later transferred to Rush University Medical Center, where he died two days later.
Family sues Oak Park nursing home after 80-year-old fatally beaten - Chicago Sun-Times