Elder Law

Nursing Home Sanctions are Not Tough Enough

By Levin & Perconti

Part 2 of the Minneapolis Star Tribune fall exposé discussed how the current sanctions nursing homes receive after falls are not enough to deter the nursing home negligence. One 85-year-old woman had osteoporosis so severe that she couldn?t get out of bed by herself. However, when an aide turned away momentarily while using a mechanical lift to maneuver her from the bed to the wheelchair, the victim slipped from the device?s sling to the floor. This caused her to break her shoulder and thigh. An investigation revealed that the woman died from nursing home neglect. The aide had violated the home?s guidelines requiring two people to perform lifts and that the nursing home had not properly trained their staff. In one state only there were 17 cases were residents were seriously injured or died after falling out of lifts. However, only four of these nursing homes received fines. Nursing homes must receive fines after fall deaths in order so that these do not occur. To check out the second part of the fall expose, please click the link.

Full post as published by Illinois Nursing Home Abuse Blog on November 28, 2009 (boomark / email).