For-Profit Nursing Homes More Likely To Harm Residents

According to new research conducted by the University of Illinois-Chicago (UIC), residents at for-profit nursing homes face nearly two times the risk of substandard care and neglect than those living at not-for-profit nursing homes. The substandard care at these facilities can cause lasting health issues and discomfort for seniors.At Brown & Barron, LLC, our nursing home abuse & neglect attorneys in Baltimore have made it our mission to help families whose loved ones have been neglected and traumatized by inadequate care at nursing home facilities. The recent UIC study highlights the serious crisis of care for elderly residents living at for-profit nursing homes, and the increased health issues these vulnerable citizens may face.

If you believe your loved one has been neglected in a Maryland nursing home, contact us today for a free consultation.

How For-Profit Nursing Homes Can Harm Residents

The shocking new report, recently published in academic journal Gerontology, involved researchers led by Lee Friedman, who is the associate professor of occupational and environmental health sciences at UIC. Over the course of the study, Friedman and his colleagues examined the medical records of more than 1,150 elderly patients, all of whom had been admitted to hospitals in the Chicago metropolitan area over a four-year period.

Using the widely-accepted Clinical Signs of Neglect Scale (which was developed by Friedman himself), the team looked at instances of more than two dozen different conditions that can indicate nursing home neglect, such as bed sores and broken catheters. By cross-referencing the instances of clear clinical neglect with the nursing home residence type for each patient, Freidman and his team discovered that the majority of admitted patients were living in for-profit facilities. Not only that, there were almost twice as many instances of clinical neglect, compared with residents who lived in comparable community dwellings and not-for-profit facilities.

The reason for the decreased care at for-profit facilities? Friedman notes in the report that these institutions are much more likely to be considered deficient by nursing home watchdogs overall, and they often experience significant staffing issues and a lack of oversight. “For-profit nursing facilities pay their high-level administrators more, and so the people actually providing the care are paid less,” said Friedman. Although there are many diverse factors that can lead to substandard care at for-profit facilities, ultimately it often boils down to a lack of oversight for elderly residents.

Get Justice for Nursing Home Neglect. Contact Brown & Barron LLC Today.

Injuries caused by nursing home neglect are widespread in the United States, and these injuries are easily preventable when health care providers meet the minimum standard of care. However, many nursing home facilities fail to accomplish even that, by cutting costs at the expense of our nation’s seniors. Those who are responsible for harming seniors by means of neglect can and should be held accountable in the civil court system.

At Brown & Barron, LLC, we believe in protecting the most vulnerable members of our society – and in ensuring that justice is served when they’ve been seriously hurt or injured. With multiple million-dollar outcomes and a proven record of success, you can rest assured that our Baltimore nursing home neglect attorneys will fight for your loved one to receive the financial compensation they deserve for their injuries.

Ready to discuss your nursing home neglect case? Give us a call at (410) 698-1717 anytime day or night for a free consultation.