By John R Kormanik on Posted in Abuse/Neglect,Family Resources,Nursing Home Abuse,Nursing Home Resident SafetyRecently, National Public Radio (NPR) has done a series of stories on the problem of overmedication of nursing home residents and what some facilities are doing right in this area. I thought I’d take the opportunity to share with you these stories, give you the links to the themand the audio of the original stories… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Family ResourcesMy daughter Allie is a 20-year-old junior at Oregon State University. This summer, as she has the past two years, she is working as a counselor at a camp in McCall, Idaho. She shared a story of an occurrence at a recent "woman’s camp," which should serve as a reminder to us all. The camp… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Family ResourcesA recent article in Forbes, Howard Glickman, discusses a decision from Pennsylvania where the court determined the son of a nursing home resident was responsible for the $93,000.00 nursing home bill. How can this be you ask? According to Mr. Glickman, Pennsylvania, along with some 29 other states have what are known as "filial responsibility statutes—laws… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Family ResourcesIn an article in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times, Karen Ravin provides some helpful information for those of us who have aging parents or loved ones. As Ms. Ravin correctly points out: Our desire for our loved ones to be safe (possibly in an assisted living facility or nursing home) must compete against our loved one’s… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Family ResourcesDid you know during the 2009-2010 flu season, there were "41,914 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated hospitalizations and 2,125 laboratory-confirmed influenza-associated deaths" in the United States? Many of those deaths are considered "preventable." According to the 2010 CDC guidelines, all people in the United States over the age of 6 months of age should be vaccinated with this… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Choosing a Nursing Home,Family Resources,Health Care ReformIn an article in today’s New York Times, reporter John Leland, describes the cuts states are making to close budget gaps and the effect those changes are having on the elderly. Some of the cuts described by Mr. Leland include meal deliveries, housekeeping assistance and aid for family caregivers. As Mr. Leland correctly points out… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Family ResourcesAlthough this post is a little off the topic usually addressed in this blog, I found an an interesting article by Anne Barnard in yesterday’s New York Times. The article reported on the practice of Queens, New York, prosecutors using New York’s "hate crime" law to prosecute those who target the elderly. According to Ms. Barnard, Queens’ prosecutors… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Family Resources,Resident and Family Resources,Resident ResourcesIn a recent Los Angeles Times’ "Booster Shots" article, Shari Roan writes briefly about a study of nursing home resident’s sleep patterns and habits. The study, published in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society, and conducted by UCLA and the VA Greater Los Angeles Healthcare System, looked at 121 "older adults," 65 and older, living… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Abuse/Neglect,Family Resources,Nursing Home Resident SafetyAs a resident of a nursing home or assisted living facility, there are many things you rely upon the facility to help you with. One of the most important, perhaps, is the administration of prescription or over-the-counter medications. If the facility gives you the wrong medication, the consequences can be dire, even fatal. In an… Continue Reading
By John R Kormanik on Posted in Family ResourcesThe decision to place someone you love into a nursing home or assisted living facility is not easy. You and your loved one have decided it is “best” because they can no longer live safely on their own. You have struggled with the decision. You have spoken to everyone you know about it, but do… Continue Reading
