September 30, 2008 - Health and Safety Violations in 90% of Nursing Homes

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Nursing home abuse and neglect has risen to epidemic levels in the U.S.  According to a recent Department of Health and Human Services report, ninety percent of all U.S. nursing homes – including for-profit,  non-profit, and government-run agencies – received citations last year for violating federal health and safety standards.

The types of violations listed in the report included infected bedsores, medication mix-ups, poor nutrition, and abuse and neglect of patients.  According to the report, some nursing homes “have systematically failed to provide staff in sufficient numbers and with appropriate clinical expertise to serve their residents.”  In other cases, nursing homes billed Medicare and Medicaid for services that “were not provided, or were so wholly deficient that they amounted to no care at all,” the report said.

It is estimated that over 1.5 million of the nation's elderly reside in nursing homes. In order to receive funding from Medicare and Medicaid, retirement facilities must meet minimum health and safety standards.  Over two-thirds of nursing home residents participate in these federal programs.

Although privately-run nursing homes have the highest rates of health and safety deficiencies, non-profit and government-run facilities are not much better, according to the study.  The report revealed that the worst violations occurred at large, privately-held nursing homes, which tend to understaff in order to cut costs and maximize profits.