Articles Tagged with nursing home neglect

The Massachusetts Attorney General this week announced settlements with seven nursing homes over the deaths of five residents.

One nursing home operator has been banned from participating in state-run healthcare programs for a period of seven years, while others agreed to fines ranging from $30,000 to $200,000 and will undergo retraining of staff. But the settlement falls short of criminal prosecution, which safety advocates contend needs to occur to hold large for-profit nursing home operators accountable for the health and safety of residents.

The Worcester Telegram reported more nursing home closures are expected across Massachusetts. Currently more than 400 Massachusetts nursing homes operate 45,000 beds. About 20 Massachusetts nursing homes closed last year.

The aging Baby Boomer population, consolidation of the industry into a few large for-profit nursing home operators, and a lax regulatory and oversight environment have created a perfect storm in the American nursing home industry. As our nursing home abuse attorneys in Massachusetts reported last year, instance of nursing home mistreatment or neglect can be even more likely at these for-profit facilities.

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There are simply some fields for which non-profit ventures are generally better suited. Nursing home care appears to be one of those.nursing home injury

A recent report by Kaiser Health News appears to back growing anecdotal evidence of this, revealing that mission-driven non-profit organizations on the whole have better track records than the increasing number of facilities operated on a for-profit basis.

Numerous studies over the last 20 years has established that nursing home neglect and abuse is reported at higher rates at facilities that operate on a for-profit basis – particularly in those that operate as corporate chain operations. These facilities tend to skimp on staff and other necessities, which in turn results in substandard care.

In a nutshell, the latest report from Kaiser reaffirms this, examining closely the ways in which organizations that have complex corporate structures work not only to line the pockets of owners, but also to shield them from injury and wrongful death lawsuits. Continue reading

Substandard care was cited by state regulators as the cause of death by a second nursing home resident at a facility in Wilmington.oldwomanwheelchair

Authorities called out the Woodbriar Health Center for placing patients in “immediate jeopardy,” and ordered staff there to stop accepting new residents at once. The center was also threatened with removal from government programs that fund most patients’ care plans and up to $10,000 fines each day until critical safety violations are adequately addressed.

Back in December, a patient at the facility died just two days after a staffer allegedly dropped her. The state was already investigating that death when they learned that another resident death – this one in February – was also reportedly tied to nursing home neglect, as the patient had allegedly fallen out of bed.  Continue reading

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