nursing home neglect
Prevent Choking Deaths in Oklahoma Nursing Homes
Many elderly residents who live in nursing homes and at home struggle with medical issues that make it difficult for them to swallow food and pills. In any Oklahoma nursing home, there are a number of residents who are potentially at risk of choking and must be carefully monitored.
Choking occurs whenever an object becomes stuck in the throat or windpipe, obstructing the flow of air. In serious choking incidents, the brain becomes deprived of oxygen resulting in brain damage and even death. It is absolutely vital for someone who is choking to receive immediate attention. Therefore, when someone dies from choking in an Oklahoma nursing home, it must be determined if it occurred as a result of staff’s negligence.
Read more about Prevent Choking Deaths in Oklahoma Nursing Homes
Bedsores and Pressure Sores in Oklahoma Nursing Homes
If you have a loved one who is currently living in an Oklahoma nursing home, it may be in your best interest to learn about bedsores. Pressure ulcers are preventable injuries to the skin that can prove fatal if not properly diagnosed and treated. Hopefully the facility where your loved one resides makes every effort to prevent pressure sores from developing and has the staff necessary to treat bedsores before they become dangerous.
Bedsores are physical injuries that result from prolonged pressure on the skin. They most commonly develop on the heels, ankles, buttocks, and hips of patients who lie down or sit in the same position for many hours at a time. Therefore, patients who are immobile or wheelchair-bound are particularly at risk of suffering from pressure ulcers. Oklahoma nursing home staff can play a part in preventing bedsores by helping patients shift their weight and position throughout the day and night.
Read more about Bedsores and Pressure Sores in Oklahoma Nursing Homes
What Nursing Homes and Caregivers Should Know about Antipsychotics
Psychosis is an abnormal condition of the mind that is commonly defined as a loss of contact with reality. This is a very serious medical condition that can prove dangerous if not properly treated and diagnosed. Psychotic behavior that results from an illness such as schizophrenia can lead to violent outbursts. This is why Oklahoma nursing homes must ensure that the residents who are exhibiting psychotic behavior are properly treated with antipsychotic medications.
Unfortunately, many long-term care facilities and caregivers are using powerful antipsychotic medications when they are not necessary. Antipsychotic drugs are strong enough to sedate a patient for a long period of time. So, it is common for Oklahoma nursing homes that are understaffed to use them for the wrong reasons — to lessen their workload. This is an egregious form of elder abuse that can have devastating consequences.
Read more about What Nursing Homes and Caregivers Should Know about Antipsychotics
Man Charged with Raping Oklahoma Nursing Home Resident
An Oklahoma man has been arrested on suspicion of raping a nursing home patient in Waurika. According to a KSWO news report, officials say the man touched a female patient inappropriately after going to the nursing home to visit his mother. The man claimed that the contact was consensual, but the victim said that she told the man to stay away and said “no” several times. The man has been charged with rape by instrumentation. The man was sentenced in 2007 to three years in prison after pleading guilty to one charge of lewd or indecent proposals or acts to a child under 16 years of age.
Oklahoma nursing homes have a duty and a legal responsibility to protect their residents from all types of abuse—physical, emotional, financial and sexual. This means that nursing homes should have a good idea of who is entering and leaving their facilities at all times. Facilities should have proper security, and patients should receive supervision to ensure that they are safe and protected.
Read more about Man Charged with Raping Oklahoma Nursing Home Resident
Choosing an Oklahoma Nursing Home for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s
Acting as the primary care giver for a loved one who is suffering from Alzheimer’s is often frustrating, stressful, and overwhelming. This is why many Oklahoma families choose to relocate their loved one to a care facility that can provide round-the-clock supervision and care. It is important in such cases for families to choose a facility that is suited to their loved one’s needs.
The effects of Alzheimer’s may surface gradually or rapidly. Some individuals experience minor memory issues that gradually become more severe while others may enter advanced stages of Alzheimer’s shortly after diagnosis. Physical tasks such as dressing, bathing, and using the bathroom will become difficult for your loved one. Eventually, you will not be able to leave your loved one alone at night. It is important to begin a search for care services before you are unable to provide support and supervision on your own.
Read more about Choosing an Oklahoma Nursing Home for a Loved One with Alzheimer’s
How Can You Protect Your Loved One from Nursing Home Abuse?
Nursing home abuse is a serious problem that may exist even in the nicest-looking, swankiest facilities in Oklahoma. This makes nursing home abuse or neglect challenging to detect and prevent. There are steps, however, that family members can take to reduce the chances of their loved ones suffering from negligence or abuse at an Oklahoma nursing home.
One of the most common causes of abuse and neglect in nursing homes is understaffing. There is a smaller chance of abuse or neglect at a facility that has a greater number of qualified workers and where staff turnover is not high. When choosing a facility for your loved one, ask about the number of residents they have per certified care provider. It is also advisable to read online reviews about recent incidents and concerns at the facility, which you are considering.
Read more about How Can You Protect Your Loved One from Nursing Home Abuse?
What You Should Know about Your Nursing Home Arbitration Agreement
Admitting a loved one into an Oklahoma nursing home can be challenging and stressful. During the application process, there are many documents that are difficult to understand and requirements that are challenging to meet. One of the many legal documents you may be asked to sign is a nursing home arbitration agreement. It is important that you review this agreement and learn about what it means before signing it.
A mandatory arbitration agreement is an easily overlooked legal document that is sometimes included in a package of admissions documents. Failing to read whatever you are signing can prove costly if your loved one becomes the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect. A nursing home arbitration agreement takes away your right to sue the nursing home. Instead, your disputes will go directly to a professional arbitrator. If you sign an arbitration agreement, you will not be able to take the nursing home to court even if your loved one dies as a result of neglect or abuse in the care facility.
Read more about What You Should Know about Your Nursing Home Arbitration Agreement
Celebrate National Senior Health and Fitness Day in Oklahoma
This year, May 30 will be observed as National Health and Fitness Day for older adults. On this day, more than 100,000 seniors nationwide will participate in local events at more than 1,000 locations. The goal of this national event is to promote the importance of regular physical activity and to showcase the work that local groups are doing to improve the health and fitness of older adults in their respective communities.
Activities will take place at retirement communities, health clubs, senior centers, parks, hospitals, YMCAs, houses of worship, banks, and other locations. The nature of the events will vary widely based on what local seniors are interested in and on the organization that is hosting the events. Activities may include walking, low-impact exercises, health information, workshops, and screenings.
Read more about Celebrate National Senior Health and Fitness Day in Oklahoma
Report Highlights Misuse of Anti-Psychotics in Nursing Homes
A Boston Globe report based on government data has found that a number of the nation’s nursing homes are wrongfully using anti-psychotic drugs to silence residents who display hostile or combative behavior. According to a news report in USA Today, the Globe’s investigation found that a Massachusetts nursing home was administering dangerous anti-psychotic drugs to 19 percent of its residents, even those who did not have a diagnosis for which the drugs are recommended.
These drugs, usually prescribed for those suffering from schizophrenia, can have powerful side effects, including dizziness, abnormal heart rhythm, sudden drop in blood pressure, blurred vision, or even death. The Globe’s investigation also found that just in the year 2010, 185,000 nursing home residents nationwide received these drugs against the recommendation of federal nursing home regulators. Many of the patients who received these drugs were those suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia.
Read more about Report Highlights Misuse of Anti-Psychotics in Nursing Homes
Nursing Homes in the U.S. Unprepared for Emergencies and Disasters
Nursing homes nationwide are “woefully unprepared” to protect frail residents in the event of natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods, government officials say. According to a news report in The Huffington Post, Oklahoma is one of the top 10 disaster-prone states ranked by historical statistics. The government requires nursing homes to come up with emergency plans specifying details such as coordinating with local authorities, notifying relatives, or pinning nametags and medication lists to residents in the event of an evacuation. Even seven years after Hurricane Katrina when the vulnerability of nursing homes was exposed, very little has been done to ensure that nursing home residents will be safe in the event of a major disaster.
This is particularly important because millions in the United States live in nursing homes. According to available data, more than 3 million people in the United States spent at least some time in a nursing home during the year 2009. Nearly 40 percent of those individuals, about 1.2 million, were in the top 10 disaster-prone states, including Oklahoma. A typical nursing home resident is a woman in her 80s or older who is dealing with physical or mental issues that make her dependent on others to carry out everyday activities.
Read more about Nursing Homes in the U.S. Unprepared for Emergencies and Disasters