Families across Ohio are hearing a familiar explanation when something goes wrong in a nursing home: we don’t have enough staff. Unanswered call lights. Rushed meals. Falls. Choking incidents. Pressure injuries that seem to appear overnight. These are not abstract policy debates. They are lived experiences for residents and their families. Recent national reporting has […]
When families contact me about a mom or dad in a nursing home, there is often a common thread. Call lights are ignored. Meals are rushed. Falls, choking incidents, and gaps in care feel increasingly common. In many cases, nursing home staffing requirements sit at the center of these concerns. That is why many families […]
When families ask me about using cameras in assisted living facilities in Ohio, it’s usually because something about their mom or dad’s care doesn’t feel right. Maybe there are unexplained bruises, sudden changes in mood, or a sense that staff seem rushed or unavailable. As a former registered nurse and now an Ohio assisted living […]
When a loved one moves into a nursing home, families want reassurance that they are receiving the care, dignity, and respect they deserve. But concerns about safety and well-being are common, especially given the troubling cases of neglect and abuse that have come to light over the years. In Ohio, families now have a new […]
Ohio nursing home safety remains a big concern to many of us, especially those of us with elderly parents or other loved ones who are in long-term care facilities. The U.S. Congress is also concerned with nursing home safety, and in 2019 began releasing a Special Focus Facilities (SFF) report listing underperforming nursing homes which have […]
The Senate Special Committee on Aging convened its first hearing on assisted living in two decades. Triggered by alarming reports of assisted living wandering/elopement-related deaths, the hearing saw rare bipartisan unity as leaders addressed issues such as facility safety, inconsistent regulations and reporting, and neglect. Senator Bob Casey (D-PA) urged families to share their assisted […]
When you visit your mom in the nursing home and can’t find any aides or nurses to help take her to the bathroom, you may wonder if the facility is understaffed or if it’s just you. It not just you; your nursing home is most likely trying to hide a staffing shortage. Staffing levels at […]
Yet another voice has joined the chorus of consumer advocates, lawyers, and journalists calling for a ban on forced arbitration in nursing home contracts. The editorial board of the New York Times has published a piece titled “Nursing Home Residents Still Vulnerable to Abuse.” In the article, the well-respected paper calls for an all-out ban […]
The ability to lodge a complaint, either publicly or anonymously, feels like an important part of our society. Maybe you’ve left a negative review online for a restaurant in hopes of a future improvement in service. Or maybe you’ve written an anonymous letter to the editor that would make you unpopular with your neighbors. But […]
If a nursing home doesn’t have enough nurses and aides to provide basic care, such as bathing and turning to prevent pressure ulcers, then residents suffer. It’s a simple truth. This isn’t a new concept. But one state has found a novel way to hold a large nursing home chain responsible. The state has taken […]