Studies show that almost 50% of California nursing homes do not meet federal standards in preventing pressure ulcers. The problems are so widespread that the treatment of these ulcers – also called bed sores – will no longer be covered by Medicare if the sore was acquired after admission into…
People frequently ask for a recommendation to a “good” nursing or residential care facility. It’s a question that is difficult to answer, other than to state that the style of the building or the cost of the care is rarely a good indicator of quality of care. I have sued…
Nursing homes around the country are now requiring prospective residents to agree to binding arbitration before admittance into a home. By signing an agreement to arbitrate, nursing home residents are forever giving up any rights to seek compensation in a court of law for harm caused by caregivers who abuse…
This list contains the issuance of citations to Southern California nursing facilities by the California Department of Public Health over the last six months. All the citations listed are issued for reasons related to patient care. For verification of the citation, please contact the local department office or Walton Law…
The quality of care provided by California nursing homes has declined by almost every measure since the implementation of a new Medi-Cal rate system that increased funding the nursing facilities according to a new study by the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF). Meanwhile, nursing home complaints and the issuance…
Budget cuts proposed by Governor Schwarzenegger could cripple California’s oversight of Residential Care Facilities for the Elderly. Further damage to the already struggling oversight program could put thousands of RCFE residents at risk. According the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform (CANHR), the proposed cuts come at a time when…
The signs and symptoms of a brain injury are not always as clear as you might think. Most patients who suffer a traumatic brain injury can walk, talk, and give the appearance of a normally functioning person. There are, however, symptoms that point to brain trauma. The month of March…
Those of us who sue nursing homes and assisted living facilities for elder abuse and neglect of residents know how hard it is to uncover the evidence needed to meet our burdens of proof (which are higher than the typical case). Whether it’s proving a systemic problem of understaffing, ignoring…
When there is sustained pressure in an area of skin that cuts off circulation to that area, the skin will start to breakdown creating what is common called a bedsore or pressure ulcer. If you’ve never seen one, consider yourself lucky. Not properly cared for, these sores and develop into…
In an effort to save some taxpayer money and improve patient care at the same time, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) has made a list of health conditions that are preventable and should never occur in the nursing home or hospital setting. According to the National Quality…