A federal report issued earlier this week declared that over 90% of nursing homes across the country were cited with violations of federal health and safety codes in 2007. According to the report, for-profit homes were the worst offenders, racking up more violations than their non-profit counterparts.
Daniel R. Levinson, inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, stated that 17% of nursing homes had deficiencies that harmed patients or put them in “immediate jeopardy.” Some of the most commonly cited violations included bedsores, medication mix-ups, malnutrition, and abuse and neglect of patients.
The inspector general’s report indicated that 94% of for-profit nursing homes were cited for violations, while 88% of nonprofit homes and 91% of government homes received citations. For-profit nursing homes also had the highest average number of violations per home.
The proportion of nursing homes cited for deficiency violations varied from state to state. Rhode Island registered the lowest percentage of homes cited for violations (76%) while in Alaska, Idaho, Wyoming, and the District of Columbia, 100% of the nursing homes had major violations.
Clearly, our country’s nursing homes are not adequately serving our elderly. Levinson claims that many homes fail to provide proper care due to understaffing issues. Most of the homes that were evaluated as providing better care had higher staff/patient ratios.
If you have a family member who has been a victim of nursing home abuse and neglect, you have rights. It is important to consult an experienced personal injury lawyer to make sure that your relative is fairly compensated for any wrongdoings and damages committed by the nursing home.
If your loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect in the Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia area, please contact the law offices of Chaikin, Sherman, Cammarata, & Siegel P.C. today for an initial consultation.
