Problems In Nursing Home Care

Understaffing and quality of care present dangerous situations to the elderly and infirm in the nation's nursing homes.

According to surveys conducted by the United States General Accounting Office, more than one-fourth of the U.S. nursing homes had deficiencies that either caused harm to residents or put them at risk for death or serious injury.

The United States Department of Health and Human Service Office of the Inspector General executed disciplinary actions relating to nursing home abuse in 382 case in 1997, more than double the number of cases in 1996. The department received 1,613 reports of abuse in 1996, a net increase of 14 percent over a three-year period.

Nursing homes look to cut overhead and expenses from their budgets, as every organizations does. Unfortunately, reducing staff to decrease overhead has a drastic impact on the quality of care residents receive. Nursing and certified aides (CNAs) provide almost all of the patient care. When the number of staff members is decreased, supervision of residents is decreased.

One study analyzed average hours of care per resident per day in all certified nursing facilities in the United States between 1991 and 1996. It found CNA hours decreased from an average of 2 hours per resident in 1991 to 1.9 hours per resident in 1996.

When choosing a nursing home for a loved one, make sure to investigate throughly. Inquire about the number of nurses and past claims of abuse. Do not be afraid to ask the difficult questions regarding your loved one's care. Make sure that you have specific needs of your loved one addressed in the written contract.

If you have any questions about nursing homes, please contact SSBWV&G.

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