For victims of elder abuse in nursing homes, hiring a lawyer to take appropriate legal action can be the best (and only) way out of a dangerous situation. Your lawyer can deal with the nursing […]
The reality of elder abuse in nursing homes can be a shock for those who entrust the care of their loved ones to others. After all, transitioning into a nursing home is supposed to be […]
It is an unfortunate reality that it may be necessary to report elder abuse at some point to protect a loved one. While inconceivable to most of us, elder abuse is a widespread problem with […]
Elder financial abuse is unfortunately common. In many ways, our elders are the most precious, wise members of our society. And yet, at the same time, they can also be the most vulnerable. Suffering from […]
When looking for a facility to care for an elderly loved families may struggle to understand the difference between a CBRF and a nursing home. Here, we will examine the differences between the two, including […]
Once you’ve made the decision to move an elderly loved one into a nursing home or memory care facility, you now have an even bigger decision to make: which facility do you choose to care […]
A large percentage of the U.S. is aging; statistics show that in 2019, 16.5 percent of Americans were 65 years old or older. If current trends continue, it’s expected that 22 percent of the population […]
COVID-19 has affected countless Wisconsin residents’ lives, but our nursing home population has been one of the groups that was hit hardest. According to data from the U.S. Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, as […]
Nursing homes and assisted-living facilities are supposed to care for elderly adults who cannot care for themselves. Unfortunately, too many of these facilities provide the opposite of a safe and caring environment; instead, they neglect […]
Although it is often a hard decision, sometimes the best thing to do for yourself and your family is to find a nursing home or assisted living facility for your loved one. If you have […]
With over 300 nursing homes and 4,000 assisted living facilities in the state of Wisconsin, there are plenty of facilities to choose from for your loved one. Unfortunately, there were also more than 7,300 reports […]
When you choose a nursing home or community-based residential facility (CBRF) to care for an aging parent or family member, you expect they’ll be safe and happy there. Unfortunately, nursing home abuse and elder abuse […]
With more than 300 nursing homes and 4,000 assisted living facilities throughout Wisconsin, our community must take action to protect the elderly amid the COVID-19 crisis. Specifically, it’s critical these facilities follow new guidelines and […]
A few years ago, we talked about some of the more horrific cases of nursing home neglect and abuse around Wisconsin. Despite tougher federal regulations, the abuse and neglect of elderly patients remains a problem […]
Nearly 1.4 million people in the United States are cared for in nursing home facilities, but most nursing homes lack adequate staff to properly care for their residents, according to recent federal data. This can […]
At least 10 percent of individuals 65 and older are believed to be victims of neglect or abuse, according to the National Center on Elder Abuse, and that number is likely much higher as many […]
Many elderly Americans benefit from the care they receive in nursing homes and other types of assisted-living centers. But two recent government reports indicate that elder neglect and abuse is rampant nationwide, and that the […]
In recent years nursing home abuse and other forms of elder abuse have come under increased scrutiny as the baby boom generation reaches retirement age and is confronted with the need for assisted-living care. Each […]
Wisconsin’s population aged 65 and older is projected to increase by nearly 100 percent between 2010 and 2040, according to recent data from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS). With these sizeable demographic changes […]
Wisconsin’s Department of Health Services has moved to revoke the license of Faith Gardens, a Sun Prairie assisted-living center where a resident was found dead last December. In its motion, the state cited problems caring […]
Choosing between a nursing home and another type of care facility can be a daunting task for families. What level of care does your loved one need? What are the differences between nursing homes and […]
A recent New York Time article discussed the reasons behind lower rates of women participating in the workforce around the turn of the century, after 50 years of steadily increasing numbers. The consensus seemed to be […]
Palliative care is specialized medical care for individuals who have been diagnosed with a serious illness, with the goal of providing them with a better quality of life. According to a study conducted by researchers […]
Elder abuse in Native American communities, at least in some respects, does not differ from elder abuse in other communities. Physical abuse, sexual abuse, financial exploitation, neglect or abandonment, and spiritual abuse all can occur […]
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced a fourth phase of its National Action Plan to Prevent Health Care-Associated Infections: Road Map to Elimination. The goal of this plan is to […]
Senior citizens often become increasingly prone to falls as medical conditions worsen over time. Some estimate that as many as one in three individuals over the age of 65 fall at least once per year. […]
In today’s American society, it is hard to imagine how seniors can become malnourished. Nursing homes provide seniors with three meals per day, and there’s always Meals on Wheels. Surely family members help out seniors […]
According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, state-run nursing facilities were the most injury and illness-prone state workplace in 2016. In fact, the average rate of workplace injuries and illnesses in […]
According to a recent Commonwealth Fund study, health care for American seniors still lags behind the senior health care that is available in other industrialized countries. Participants in this study included seniors from the United […]
Mental Health America has developed an online mental health screening tool that almost 10,000 individuals over the age of 65 have utilized since 2014. When asked about end-of-life care, none of the individuals stated that […]
A recent Kaiser Health News article tells the story of a woman with Alzheimer’s disease whom her husband claims was being spoon-fed against her written wishes. According to the article, the woman had drafted advance […]
Merrill Lynch and Age Wave recently collaborated on a research study about non-professional or informal caregivers for elderly individuals. These caregivers include family members, friends, and self-employed caregivers who offer their services on a full […]
Back in October, the AARP Public Policy Institute published an article that highlighted different states’ strategies in terms of reducing the risk of long-term nursing home care following a period of hospitalization. According to the […]
With “Phase 2” of the new requirements of participation for long-term care providers set to go into effect on November 28th, 120 members of Congress have submitted a letter to the Centers for Medicare & […]
A recent study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine found that although medically frail elderly persons comprise only four percent of the Medicare population, they account for 44% of Medicare spending. Researchers from the […]
According to a recent article, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has developed a plan for a supportive services model that would cut down on senior citizens’ emergency room (ER) visits, hospitalizations, […]
A group of researchers recently completed a study of older hip fracture patients over a period of three years to determine the correlation between winter weather and falls. While many people assume that broken bones […]
McKnight’s Long-Term Care News recently reported on a lawsuit filed against an Illinois retirement community for the mistreatment of a now-deceased resident of that community. In the lawsuit, the co-administrators of the former resident’s estate […]
While you might not expect senior citizens to be evicted from nursing homes, that is precisely what is happening across the country. In fact, eviction has become the most common complaint about nursing homes. In […]
A recent news story tells of a North Carolina skilled nursing facility that lost its Medicaid and Medicare funding following an incident in which a patient with dementia left the facility via an unlocked emergency […]
An article in Consumer Reports describes how to find quality home care when a loved one needs long-term care. Although most individuals who need long-term care rely solely on family members, about one-third (1/3) of […]
A recent article published by Kaiser Health News details the plight that some terminally ill patients and their families experience when they contract for hospice care. For instance, one woman described how she called the […]
The Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) recently published the results of a study with respect to the rates of infection when a patient has been prescribed antibiotics on an outpatient basis and/or when he […]
After the Office of the Inspector General (OIG) released a very critical report finding that more than a quarter of nursing home abuse incidents go unreported, Sen. Orrin Hatch (R-UT) urged the Department of Health […]
There are a variety of different options for long-term care, which differ primarily according to the level of skilled nursing care that you or your loved one needs, if any. Long-term care facilities can range […]
Medicaid is a joint federal and state health care program that has strict eligibility guidelines regarding an applicant’s income and assets; it is also one of the most common ways to pay for long-term care. […]
Medicaid is often a primary source of funding when a senior citizen is in need of long-term care. In order to be eligible for Medicaid, you must follow strict income and resource guidelines. More specifically, […]
While it may seem natural to help an older relative, neighbor, or friend with his or her finances, you must be cautious about the help that you offer. It may be easy to write a […]
A recent Tufts University study shows that senior citizens who increased their physical activity, for even a small amount of time each week, significantly improved their physical function and reduced their risk of immobility. Researchers […]
Having difficulty swallowing is a relatively common ailment in older adults, especially those who reside in nursing homes. As a result, nursing home staff always must monitor residents during meals in order to prevent choking. […]
The National Investment Center for Seniors Housing & Care (NIC) recently released a report showing that skilled nursing facility (SNF) occupancy dropped to 81.7%, or its lowest point in five years, during the second quarter […]
HealthDay recently published the results of a new study that found the overall health of seniors to be improving. The largest gains in healthy lifestyles, however, occur in well-educated, rich, and white seniors. Researchers were […]
A new study by RTI International shows that many hospitals fail to provide their patient with quality information about skilled nursing facilities, which causes many patients to select a facility simply based on location. The […]
Several organizations collaborated to produce the Long-Term Services & Supports State Scorecard (LTSS), which essentially assigns ratings to each state based on the quality of long-term care services. The goal of the scorecard is to […]
A recent article in McKnight’s Long-Term Care News warns of a potential worker shortage in the long-term care industry to low wages and a lack of respect for direct-care workers. According to one expert, by […]
The results of a recent study shows that low-income Medicare patients are often kept in the hospital for longer periods of time without being officially admitted than wealthier Medicare patients. Medicare requires that a patient […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) has unveiled “Hospice Care,” a new website dedicated to deciding whether you need hospice care and allowing you to compare various hospice care providers. The goal of […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
As our country continues to age and individuals live longer lives, their need for medical care and long-term care increases. Health care policy, therefore, has a significant effect on older Americans. At least one version […]
While most nursing home residents receive excellent, quality care, there also are some residents of nursing homes who may not only receive substandard care, but may actually be the victims of nursing home abuse or […]
According to the National Center for Elder Abuse, there are seven different types of elder abuse: Physical abuse – use of physical force to cause bodily injury, pain, or impairment Sexual abuse – nonconsensual sexual […]
According to the National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA), psychological abuse is the “willful infliction of mental or emotional anguish by threat, humiliation, or other types of verbal or nonverbal conduct. Ironically, […]
Most nursing home claims stem from some sort of negligent action or inaction by one of its staff member, or, in some cases, another nursing home resident. Negligence refers to any act or failure to […]
Late last year, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) issued revised nursing facility regulations. The National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care, the Center for Medicare Advocacy, and Justice in Aging collaborated to […]
The Administration on Aging of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services recently released its 2016 Profile of Older Americans, which describes typical characteristics of older Americans as of 2016. The population aged 65 […]
An 88-year-old woman was found dead earlier this year near the Rice Lake Convalescent Center after apparently wandering outside the facility in the middle of the night. Rice Lake is an 85-bed private for-profit facility. […]
According to Financial Advisor’s recent article by Ted Knutson, the Elder Abuse and Prevention Act has a good chance of becoming a law in 2017. The key sponsor of this bill is Chuck Grassley, Senate […]
As the American population ages, individuals often become particularly vulnerable to financial abuse and exploitation. For this reason, loved ones of older Americans should take the time to familiarize themselves with the common signs of […]
In a recent CNN investigation, two journalists detail their findings about sexual abuse of senior citizens while residing in nursing homes, assisted living facilities, and other residential institutions. While the investigation revealed no hard data […]
Choosing a nursing home for your loved one is no small decision. All of the different options can be downright confusing, particularly when you are trying to balance concerns such as affordability, individualized care options, […]
Most long-term care providers are aware of the new participation rule issued by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) and that the current deadline for Phase 2 compliance with this rule is set […]
A recent news story details the story of a Texas nursing home that has suspended a certified nursing assistant (CNA) after he posted inappropriate pictures of residents on a Snapchat account. The CNA allegedly posted […]
Long-term care is defined as the support and services necessary to meet an individual’s health and/or personal care needs over an extended period of time. The reality is that an individual who is turning 65 […]
Many individuals have declined to purchase long-term care insurance, mostly out of fear of spending money on a situation that never occurs. As a result, some life insurance companies have offered variations on traditional life […]
According to a study by the University of Wisconsin-Madison’s Applied Population Laboratory, the number of Wisconsin residents who are older than 65 years of age will double within 30 years. The last census in 2010 […]
While nursing home neglect is not always easily detectable, there are some red flags to look out for if a loved one is residing in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Discovering and putting […]
New Medicare regulations went into effect on January 1, 2017, which require compensation for physicians who spend time working in teams to improve care for seniors with chronic illnesses. These care coordination teams, which often […]
As our population ages, elder abuse is a problem that continues to grow across the United States. One study estimates that nursing homes care for 1.5 million elderly and frail Americans, for whom physical and […]
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid (CMS) has added six new quality measures to its Nursing Home Compare website, which allows consumers to get information on 24 different quality measures for over 15,000 Medicaid and […]
An article from ProPublica published late last year details at least 37 separate incidents since 2012 that involved staff members from nursing homes and assisted-living facilities posting embarrassing or inappropriate pictures and videos of residents […]
One of the fundamental tenets of the Nursing Home Patients’ Bill of Rights is the right of a long-term care patient to live free from restraints, whether they are physical, chemical, or mechanical. Patients must […]
Falls among elderly nursing home residents can result in critical injuries, some of which even may be fatal. Hip fractures, brain injuries, and fractures to other bones all can have grave results for the elderly […]
As children, we depend on our parents to take care of us. They are our nurturers, our caretakers, and our providers. As the years go on, this relationship changes. Our parents’ health declines and before […]
The Abuse of Individuals at Risk Act, which is located at Wisconsin Statutes 940.285, is a Wisconsin state law that is designed to penalize those individuals who abuse any individual at risk, which can include […]
Nursing home residents are often more susceptible to choking injuries than individuals in the general population. For instance, nursing home residents may suffer from certain neurological conditions that may adversely affect their ability to swallow, […]
Abuse of individuals who reside in nursing homes can take on many different forms. While most of us think of abuse to anyone as physical in nature, abuse also can be in the form of […]
All too often, low pay rates and chronic understaffing leads to a high turnover among nursing home employees, particularly among nurses’ aides and other unskilled workers. As a result, nursing homes often fail to properly […]
No one likes to think of nursing home care being so poor that residents literally starve to death. However, in some extreme cases, this is precisely what happens. Without properly trained and supervised staff to […]
The risk of contracting an infection while being cared for in a nursing home or other type of assisted care facility can be quite high, for a variety of reasons. Many nursing home residents suffer […]
Although we all would like to think of a nursing home or community-based residential facility as a safe place for our elderly and disabled family members, the reality is that abuse can occur in any […]
Abuse in a Wisconsin nursing home, assisted living facility, or community-based residential facility can take on many forms. While all types of abuse are illegal and unwarranted, sexual abuse can be one of the most […]
All nursing homes are required to develop detailed care plans for nursing home residents. They are required to submit this information to the federal government for the purposes of state inspections and quality control, as […]
When a Wisconsin nursing home or assisted living facility fails to adequately protect and/or care for one of its residents, not only can the resident suffer from severe harm, but injuries can prove to be […]
Individuals who reside in nursing homes are often prone to pressure sores or decubitus ulcers, which are also known as bed sores. As individuals age, their skin becomes drier, thinner, and less elastic. When combined […]
Despite increased awareness about nursing home abuse, as well as tougher federal regulations, the abuse and neglect of elderly patients remains a problem at nursing homes and assisted-living facilities in Wisconsin and across the country. […]
Recently, the Wisconsin personal injury law firm of Boller & Vaughan successfully closed one of the most heart-wrenching assisted living cases they have encountered. Joshua Wahl, a charming 34 year-old man born with a number of […]
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We live in Friendship, Wisconsin, and Boller & Vaughan came to our doorstep to discuss our mother’s wrongful death claim on a Saturday morning. Not only were we pleased with the large recovery, we were so thankful to have lawyers who were willing to explain to us every twist and turn along the way. It is great to know there is a law firm that will fight for the rights of elderly people all over Wisconsin.
Mr. Boller and Ms. Vaughan were incredible in working on my case and my daughter’s case. I was out of work and in the hospital with a new baby. Mr. Boller and Ms. Vaughan protected our rights and it was a pleasure to work with them. I hope never to be in another motor vehicle accident, however, if I am and I am injured, I will contact Boller & Vaughan immediately.
I was referred to Michelle through a friend. I have never had a better experience. It took a little over a year to get my settlement but the staff there stayed in constant contact and kept me in the loop. Oh, and Michelle actually got me MORE money than we discussed. I will refer anyone to this firm. Words cannot do justice the thanks that I have for Michelle and her staff (Mary especially) thank you guys so much!
After my husband died as a result of a motor vehicle accident, Boller & Vaughan spent countless hours talking with me, meeting with me in person, and making sure that I was okay. The drunk driver who hit us did not have any insurance, and we had to make a claim through our own insurance. Boller & Vaughan was fantastic at explaining the law to me and the handling of our claims.
After my son was injured in a daycare setting, Ms. Vaughan took the time to thoroughly investigate our case and my son’s injuries. Michele was approachable and had answers to our questions. Talking with her helped to relieve many of our anxieties.
