Tennessee nursing homes still failing to make the grade
A recent report reveals that dozens of Tennessee nursing homes are failing to adequately provide for and protect their vulnerable residents.
A Shelbyville nursing home in particular, Glen Oaks Health and Rehabilitation, had previously been accused of providing “grossly substandard and/or worthless care” to its patients. Federal regulators at the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, in their 2018 nursing home rankings, reveal that the facility – and 70 more across the state – continue to be inadequate. These dozens of nursing homes were given a one-star rating, which translates to care that is “Much Below Average” when compared to others.
The ratings system measures performance in three broad categories:
- Health inspections
- Adequacy of staffing
- “Quality of resident care”
Health inspections measure such things as violations of state and federal codes and regulatory provisions. These can include improper storage of medications, the presence of mold or mildew, inadequate emergency planning, lack of sanitation procedures, failing to report instances of abuse/neglect and more.
Adequacy of staffing is measured to ensure staff are not overburdened and patients are able to receive the one-on-one care they need. This is particularly important when residents are there for long periods, require artificial respiration or nutrition, or are bed-bound. For these patients, their very lives could depend on the presence of enough staff members to provide medications, monitor vital signs and quickly respond to changes in condition.
The “quality of resident care” category is measured by 16 sub-categories, which include:
- The presence of patients with bed sores/pressure sores (indicative of inadequate attention to bed-bound or wheelchair-bound patients)
- Unexplained weight loss amongst residents
- Lack of flu shots or other key vaccinations for patients and staff alike
- Rate at which residents fall or receive unexplained injuries
- Markers of depression in patients
Has someone you love been mistreated in a Tennessee nursing home or other long-term care facility? If so, you have legal rights. Contact an experienced nursing home abuse attorney today for more information. To see how a particular nursing home in Tennessee or near you stacks up, visit: https://www.medicare.gov/nursinghomecompare/search.html.