Elder Law

Studies Show that Too Many Elderly Patients with Dementia Get Feeding Tubes

By Levin & Perconti

Studies show that larger hospitals and for profit nursing homes are more likely to use feeding tubes in patients with advanced dementia. This contradicts with the evidence that feeding tubes does not prolong life nor do they help with bed sores and other problems. Research shows that most people and family members of people with dementia would rather die than receive a feeding tube. However, according to research, one-third of nursing home residents with advanced dementia have feeding tubes. Two-thirds of these tubes were inserted during an acute-care hospitalization. On average, feeding tubes were placed in 7.9 per 100 patients. Nursing homes have added incentives to send patients to hospitals because someone else will pay for their developing problems. These problems include bed sores and low caloric intake. Families and patients should consider all the options before allowing a feeding tube.

The Chicago nursing home lawyers of Levin & Perconti have seen the problems that feeding tubes can create. In January of this year, Steven Levin and Margaret Battersby filed a nursing home negligence lawsuit against the Renaissance at 87th. This nursing home had failed to properly care for a woman?s gastic feeding tubes. Complications were so severe that the woman died one day after being transferred to the hospital. Attorney Levin noted that this was once again an example of a nursing home putting profits before patient care. If you or a loved one has had difficulties with a nursing home and feeding tubes, please consult a Chicago lawyer. To read more about the feeding tube study, please click the link.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on February 13, 2010 (boomark / email).