Pleasant Law Blog (Insurance Claims, Medical Misakes, and Nursing Home Claims)

Increasing Demands for Nursing Home Aids and Other Staff: a Frightening Prospect

Attorneys and lawyers handling nursing home cases, and even medical malpractice cases (in some instances) know that nursing homes have staffing problems (one of the key factors leading to nursing home injury, abuse, neglect and wrongful death lawsuits and claims), it's frightening to think what we face as a nation as the "baby boomer" generation's long term care needs explode and the workforce in the nursing home industry becomes that much more strained. The Gerontological Society of America's website (click on the title link to this blog entry) has some interesting information about how this aging population will strain long term care resources, including the "direct-caregiver workforce" made up of front-line nurses and certtified nurse's assistants (CNA's).  A report arising from a study called "Better Jobs Better Care" is available at this website, and details in its full findings significant issues regarding pay and work relationships among nursing homes and hospitals, as well as turnover problems in the workforce in the nursing home industry; which affects nursing home patient/resident care, and the entire healthcare system. If you or someone in your family has suffered abuse, neglect, injury or death as a result of care (or lack of care) in a nursing home, that bad result could be due to a lack of staffing in the nursing facility. I often explain to clients how the budget process from the "higher ups" at nursing homes affects patient care on the "front lines," and these clients' stories often match up with this scenario (e.g., resident's not being turned and repositioned in order to avoid pressure sores, etc.). If you need help with a possible legal claim against a nursing home, feel free to contact my office for a free consultation. My firm has convenient locations in Wilmington, Raleigh and Fayetteville; and we can arrange to meet with you anywhere else if necessary. We can be reached Toll Free at 888-435-7156.