Tort Reform (Truth v. Fiction)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9FtCZej_7Q&feature=youtu.be

New Report Identifies Key Best Practices & Policies for Assisted Living

Following Federal Report Finding Thousands of “Critical Incidents” Involving Seniors Every Year, LTCCC Identifies Best Practices to Improve Safety, Quality of Life, & Dementia Care

October 24, 2018 – Assisted living is a popular alternative to nursing homes for seniors who need or want residential care but want to avoid the institutional setting that the typical nursing home provides. However, in the absence of federal safety standards, assisted living facility (ALF) residents are only protected to the extent that individual states have developed regulatory requirements to ensure the safety and dignity of their residents. Unfortunately, according to a 2018 GAO report, Medicaid Assisted Living Services: Improved Federal Oversight of Beneficiary Health and Welfare is Needed, all too often states fail to protect ALF residents or even keep track of when they are harmed. The GAO found that there were an astonishing 23,000 reported cases of “critical incidents,” including abuse, neglect, exploitation, and death, in ALFs across just 22 states in 2014. While this number is significant, there is little doubt that the extent to which critical incidents occur is, actually, far greater, since only 22 of the 48 states surveyed by the GAO tracked and reported critical incidents. Moreover, the review only included Medicaid assisted living, which covers a small minority of ALF residents (most Americans pay privately for assisted living services).

“The GAO’s report provides clear evidence of the urgent need to address the health and safety of assisted living residents,” said Richard Mollot, LTCCC’s Executive Director.  “In the absence of strong and clearly defined quality of care and quality of life standards, residents will continue to be susceptible to inappropriate care and potentially unsafe conditions when they move to an ALF.”

LTCCC’s new report, Assisted Living: Promising Policies and Practices, provides information and insights into best practices and policies for assisted living. The report focuses on areas of public interest and concern which we have identified as particularly important to ensuring resident safety and the ability of residents to realize assisted living’s “promise” of a resident-centered and directed, home-like environment. They include: (1) staff training requirements, (2) dementia care, (3) whether a registered nurse is employed, and (4) state oversight and quality assurance.

In addition, LTCCC has compiled an Assisted Living State Requirements Chart showing, for every state in the country, the state’s status in regard to key policies and requirements.

Both the report and the chart are available on LTCCC’s website, www.nursinghome411.org.

Long Term Care Community Coalition
www.nursinghome411.org
One Penn Plaza, Suite 6252
New York, NY 10119
United States

U.S. Deaths from Falls Skyrocket

You don't see many prime-time news headlines about fatal injuries from falls, yet the numbers have skyrocketed since 2000 and now approach annual deaths caused by motor vehicle accidents. The National Safety Council recorded 34,673 fatal falls in 2016 compared to 13,322 in 2000, a 160 percent increase. Americans killed in car crashes in 2016 totaled 40,327. A driving factor in this tidal wave of falls is the growing number of elderly Americans. But as we discuss here this month, falls occur to people in all age groups in all settings. Learn more about how we can all help prevent falls.

Injuries From Falls Affect Everyone

Injuries from Falls Affect People of All Ages, Not Just Elderly

According to the National Safety Council, over 34,000 Americans died in 2016 from the common and preventable injury of falling. Even more worrisome is that this number has only increased since 2000 and shows no sign of slowing. You should know surprising facts about falls, what causes this avoidable injury and how people of all ages can help prevent falls.

Nursing Homes Are Pushing the Dying Into Pricey Rehab

Elderly residents given intensive therapy in the last weeks of life jumped 65 percent, a study shows, raising questions about financial incentives.

https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2018-10-09/nursing-homes-are-pushing-the-dying-into-pricey-rehab