California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer BlogOn a daily basis, nursing home residents have opportunities to make many decisions that affect their lives. These decisions range from important medical considerations to more routine decisions, such as choices regarding social activities and composition of meals. Even if a resident’s cognitive condition hinders decision-making ability in one area, that resident might have the […]
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Nursing Home Staff Should Strive to Prevent or Eliminate Urinary Incontinence in their Residents
Urinary incontinence (UI) is very common among older adult women. UI is a debilitating problem—it not only diminishes quality of life, but also decreases one’s ability to carry out daily tasks. UI increases with age and affects women throughout their lives physically, socially, and psychologically. UI affects activities of daily living (ADLs) that include sleep, […]
Gaining a Deeper Understanding about Nursing Home Residents’ Decision Making Abilities Can Improve Their Quality of Life
Not only is it important for residents in long-term care facilities to have the power to make their own decisions in daily living for their well-being, the ethical and legal protection of their autonomy to make these decisions is imperative. Many nursing home residents’ ability to make their own decisions is impaired due to cognitive […]
How hospice care of a resident can affect family members
End-of-life care and decisions are an emotional and stressful process for both the patient and surrounding family members. Death is part of life that everyone goes through, yet it remains a traumatic experience. Older adults face end-of-life issues when they choose to receive therapeutic care rather than aggressive treatment, and go into hospice care. In […]
The Overuse of Antipsychotics in the Healthcare Industry
Antipsychotic drugs are an increasingly common form of medication for elderly patients in health care facilities. Although these drugs treat a wide variety of health concerns, most prescribed are unnecessary, and have the potential to cause more harm than good. In an interview with the Wall Street Journal, a professor of psychiatry at the University […]
Johnson & Johnson Agrees to Pay $2.2 Billion in Health Care Fraud Settlement
According to a news release by the United States Department of Justice (US DOJ), pharmaceutical and health care giant Johnson & Johnson has agreed to pay more than $2.2 billion in a settlement to resolve criminal and civil liability to resolve accusations of health care fraud. Johnson & Johnson faced charges and allegations stating that […]
Exploring the Social and Psychological Effects of Pressure Ulcers
Unfortunately, pressure ulcers are preventable, yet common conditions which arise in elderly individuals who reside in nursing homes and other healthcare settings. Not only do these severe wounds cause physical discomfort and pain, but a study published in Wounds delved into the social and psychological effects of pressure ulcers which contribute to a reduced quality […]
Preventable Falls Pose Serious Risks to Elderly Population
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that about one out of three people who are 65 years and older fall each year. Moreover, one-half to three-fourths of nursing home residents suffer from falls every year. These falls, while preventable, are dangerous and may have lasting, serious repercussions for this vulnerable population. For […]
Remedying Aggressive Behavior in Elderly Dementia Patients
Those suffering from dementia are generally members of the elderly population, and as life expectancy continues to increase, the need to address dementia and its complications also increases. Dementia is comprised of a variety of symptoms, some of which include memory loss, impaired judgment, and difficulties with language and motor function. However, other issues also […]
Apathy Contributes to Weight Loss in Elderly
A June 2013 study published in the Journal of American Medical Directors Association found that apathy is the behavioral symptom most strongly correlated with weight loss in nursing home residents. This comes as a surprise because it was commonly believed that depression was most closely related to weight loss in this demographic. However, the study […]
