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A recent study by UK-based researchers indicates that the family members of skilled nursing facility residents may be the key to eliminating unnecessary hospital admissions. Their research, which was published in the Journal of clinical nursing, revealed that it is often the observations of family members that lead to an accurate assessment of a resident’s health. When family members were involved with their loved one to the extent that they could detect changes in the residents’ health conditions and inform facility staff about those changes, the facility could provide better care to residents. Furthermore, when facility staff listened to family members, the resident was more likely to avoid an unneeded hospital stay.

Family members are an integral part of a loved one’s long-term care plan, and long-term care facilities should use the valuable information that they can provide. With the advocacy and involvement of family members, staff members at skilled nursing facilities are better able to care for their residents. Family members may be more cognizant of subtle changes in a resident’s emotional or physical condition that might necessitate treatment or medication than a staff member who has known a resident for only a short period of time. By having this valuable information sooner rather than later, staff members can head off health problems before they become so serious as to require hospitalization. Residents also can receive quicker treatment of problems as they arise, which can lessen periods of pain or discomfort.

At Boller & Vaughan, we are all too familiar with the rampant abuse and neglect that often occurs in understaffed, underfunded, overcrowded nursing homes. We have investigated many allegations of abuse and neglect, including those that have resulted in serious injuries to elderly residents, thus giving rise to a claim for damages against the responsible person and facility. Allow us to look into the background of your situation, evaluate the many options that may be available to you, and help you decide what move to make next. Contact the Wisconsin nursing home abuse and neglect attorneys of Boller & Vaughan, and see what help we have to offer you.

The Division of Quality Assurance (DQA) of the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has the responsibility of ensuring that Wisconsin residents are healthy and safe. If you ever believe that a nursing home or other long-term care facility has violated state or federal laws or that a health care provider committed any type of abuse or neglect, you have the right to file a complaint with DQA.

If you have a complaint about a nursing home, you should contact your regional DQA office. You also can file a complaint online by emailing DQA at DHSwebmailDQA@wisconsin.gov. Complaints also can be made by calling the DQA’s toll-free number, 1-800-642-6552. To make a complaint against a particular caregiver about a specific incident or pattern of behavior, including nurses, nurse’s aides, and doctors, you can contact the Caregiver Intake Unit of DQA at (608) 261-8319.

If you suspect that a loved one who is over the age of 60 has been the victim of abuse, you can call your County Help Line for assistance. You can find information about your county’s elder abuse agency here. It is the responsibility of elder abuse agencies to record complaints, investigate complaints, and report incidents of abuse to the proper local and state authorities. Keep in mind that abuse is not limited to physical abuse. You can and should still make a complaint if the abuse is emotional or financial in nature.

If your loved one has suffered abuse or neglect at the hands of a caretaker, whether in a home setting, nursing home or other healthcare facility, you may have a valid personal injury claim. This type of situation makes it essential to contact your experienced Madison elder abuse attorneys in order to protect your rights and obtain the financial relief that you deserve. Certain individuals have an obligation under the law to report suspected abuse or neglect of an elderly individual or nursing home or other facility resident. Those who fail to do so must face the consequences of their actions. Hold negligent Wisconsin care providers responsible for their actions. Contact Boller & Vaughan today and learn how we can help you.

There are a number of different options when it comes to medical care and assistance with activities of daily living for senior citizens, depending on the level of care needed. Fortunately, there are different types of facilities that offer varying levels of care that older individuals and their families can choose from.

Assisted living facilities house individuals who need some level of care, monitoring, and services, but who can live relatively independently. Individuals who live in assisted living facilities do not need 24-hour nursing care. Assisted living facilities allow individuals to continue to live independently while still receiving some care and monitoring.

A Community-Based Residential Facility (CBRF) is a type of assisted living facility where five or more unrelated persons who are over the age of 18 live together in a community setting. CBRFs are often senior-based communities, but they also may offer housing for adults with developmental disabilities, mental health problems, and physical disabilities. The type of care available at CBRFs is above the level of room and board, and may include up to three hours per week of nursing care per resident.

Nursing homes are residential facilities for five or more adults who need access to 24-hour nursing care, whether it is limited nursing care, intermediate nursing care, or skilled nursing services. Individuals in nursing homes are unable to live independently or even semi-independently. In most cases, nursing home residents have medical problems that are significant enough that they require constant nursing care.

No matter which type of long-term care facility is right for you or your loved one, you have the right to expect quality care and protection from abuse and neglect. Unfortunately, some facilities do not provide the quality that you expected, which can result in abuse or neglect of its residents. We are the Wisconsin abuse lawyers to whom you can turn if you suspect or become aware of abusive actions taken toward your loved one while residing in any type of long-term care facility, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and CBRFs. Regardless of the complexity or difficulty of your situation, the Madison long-term care abuse and neglect attorneys of Boller & Vaughan are prepared to advocate on behalf of your loved one and hold assisted living or other long-term care facilities responsible for any abuse that has occurred.

The Journal of the American Geriatrics Society recently published a study by researchers at Brown University. The study found that older adults often feel rushed and unprepared when they must choose a skilled nursing facility following a hospitalization.  The experience overall was generally negative; doctors and health-care providers offered little guidance or education, discharge planners at hospitals merely provide names and addresses of potential facilities, and the patients often were rushed through the process of choosing a facility. Since unexpected emergencies led to hospitalization most of the time, quick decisions about facilities were often necessary. In most cases, patients made their choice of facilities either the day before or the day of their discharge from the hospital. When combined with a total lack of information about their options, patients often chose facilities based on location rather than quality.

The study suggests that health care workers, and hospital discharge planners, in particular, familiarize themselves with available facility options so that they can better guide patients and their families to a facility that will meet their needs and desired quality of care. Ensuring that workers are familiar with these facilities could lead to patients having a more positive overall admission experience. According to the study results, the combination of an emergency hospitalization and a short period in which to make decisions about nursing homes created a mostly unfavorable experience overall.

Deciding between different long-term care facilities can be a difficult and time-consuming decision. Above all, you really want your loved one to be safe and well-cared for, no matter what option you choose. At Boller & Vaughan, our nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers want to help protect those who can protect themselves the least. This is why we focus our efforts on protecting these individuals in long-term care facilities such as nursing homes. We are skilled at investigating your case and assessing your situation in order to decide whether you have any potential legal claims against the facility that took the neglectful and abusive actions toward your loved one. Don’t hesitate to contact Boller & Vaughan right away and find out how our legal skills can help your family through this difficult situation.

A new report from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that while the average number of deficiencies in nursing homes has dropped in recent years, staffing levels are still falling short of the recommended levels. The study looked at data from 2009 to 2015. During this timeframe, the average number of deficiencies in general declined. There was a larger decrease from 2009 to 2013, and then a small increase between 2013 and 2015. Still, in 2015, more than one-fifth of facilities had a deficiency indicating actual harm or immediate jeopardy. The most common types of deficiencies include infection control, accident prevention, sanitation, and quality of care in general.

On the other hand, staffing levels remained fairly stagnant. There was a slight increase from 2009, in which total nursing hours averaged 3.9 per resident day, to 2015, in which total nursing hours averaged 4.1 per resident day. These levels of staffing still did not rise to the level suggested by some experts, who indicated that the target staffing goal should be 4.55 nursing hours per resident day.

The report detailed some other findings, as well, that relate to current conditions in nursing homes. For instance, the study found that nursing staff still may not be receiving adequate training to properly care for residents with higher needs, or those with behavioral issues. Although nursing home capacity has remained relatively flat, occupancy rates in nursing homes declined slightly between 2009 and 2015. However, the number of for-profit companies operating nursing homes increased slightly from 2009 to 2015.

You entrust your loved one to a nursing home or other long-term care facility with the intention that staff members will properly care for him or her. When that facility’s staff members fail to provide your loved one with an even basic level of reasonable care, it is likely that negligence occurred, which may make that facility and the guardian liable for the resulting injuries. If you find yourself in this situation, you may be entitled to compensation for the losses that you or your family member has suffered. Contact our Wisconsin nursing home abuse attorneys at Boller & Vaughan and learn what we can do for you and your family.