Nearly 95 Percent of Nursing Homes Don’t Meet Standards
photo credit: DerrickT
The shocking truth is that nursing homes in America are not safe, and for-profit nursing homes are even less safe. This comes from the latest report issued by the Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Inspector General.
In fact, 2007 saw a number of states report unprecedented rates of nursing home violations – Idaho, Alaska, Washington D.C. , and Wyoming had a %100 violation rate. The most common violations included infected bed sores, inadequate treatment of urinary tract infections, deficient housekeeping, and improper nutrition. One in six nursing homes, posed “actual harm or immediate jeopardy” to residents.
Nursing Home Quality and Presidential Debates
The revelation comes just weeks before the Presidential election and could play a role in the debates, because the report points out that private facilities often overcharged or charged for services that were not performed — with the taxpayers footing the bill.
These findings could also be used in future ratings systems proposed by President Bush, who has instituted a five-star rating system for the 1.5 million people who live in the nation’s 15,000 nursing homes. The ratings should be made public around December of this year.
For more information on nursing home rankings, visit our list of the Top 15 Worst Nursing Homes in the U.S.
