Texan Elder Law Attorney Offers Guide to US News And World Report’s Nursing Home Ratings
Apr 10, 2014
Waxahachie, TX (Law Firm Newswire) April 10, 2014 – In late February, U.S. News & World Report released its 2014 evaluation of the “Best Nursing Homes” across the country.
The ratings cover every state and every major metropolitan area in the United States. An overall score from one to five is broken down into searchable components, including nurse staffing, fire safety and other common criteria.
Happily, Texas boasted one of the highest “Best Nursing Homes” ratings in the country. Approximately 15 percent of the homes found in Texas have been awarded the coveted five-star rating for 2014. Only California, Ohio and Florida offer more five-star homes.
John D. Hale, a prominent Waxahachie attorney, said that potential residents and their families should consider all the facets of nursing home life as they make senior care decisions. “Written reviews and ratings can be very valuable,” Hale explained, “because they offer an objective eye. They give you and your family a solid starting point. But it is just as important to understand the meaning behind the statistics and to trust your own judgment as you make care choices.”
U.S. News & World rates homes based on state and federal inspections conducted by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services over the course of each calendar year. To receive five stars in nursing care, a home needs to provide a resident with more than four hours of care each day, including about 45 minutes of registered nursing care. Health inspection scores are based on the number of shortcomings found in a home upon inspection. Everything from safe food preparation to proper skin care is considered. Quality scores are similarly determined, focusing on common failures and risks associated with nursing home care, such as bed sores and cases of highly restricted mobility.
However, inspections cannot paint a full picture of life in a given home. “A home will not necessarily suit your loved one just because of a high rating, and a lower rating does not indicate that a person is at risk because of residency there. Make sure to visit the homes your family is considering as many times as you need, and be sure to ask plenty of questions.”
Ask about meals, visitors and any medical or personal factors that might individually affect your loved one while living in the home. A quality nursing home will also be able to answer questions about the demographics and routines of care for all residents. It can be particularly informative to ask improvement-based questions: “How do you improve life for residents living with dementia?” “What special considerations are in place for those who are wheelchair-bound?”
If you ever suspect that a nursing home is mistreating a loved one, be sure to contact an experienced elder law attorney immediately. A careful evaluation before choosing can help ensure that a loved one is treated with respect and skill while in care.
The full “Best Nursing Homes” report is readily available here.
Learn more at http://www.thehalelawfirm.com/
The Hale Law Firm
100 Executive Court, Suite 3
Waxahachie, TX 75165
Call: 888.425.3911
The Hale Law Firm
4925 Greenville Avenue #200
Dallas, TX 75206
Call: 888.425.3911
- What You Can Do During Medicare Open Enrollment
Medicare open enrollment runs through December 7, and it is a good time for beneficiaries to make sure they are satisfied with their Medicare Part D prescription drug coverage. During open enrollment, people on Medicare can shop around for Part D plans and the optional Medicare Advantage plans. If a beneficiary’s health or prescriptions for medication have changed in the past year, then it might be a good idea to compare plans. It also may be that the plan itself is what has changed: many plans have increased premiums or copayments or changed the pricing tiers for prescription medication. If […] - Texas Leads Nation in Construction of Senior Housing
There are more senior housing units under construction in Texas than anywhere else in the country, according to a research report from Marcus & Millichap, a real estate investment services firm. There are currently more than 2,000 units of senior housing being built in Texas. Thirteen states, including Minnesota, Florida and Tennessee, have more than 1,000 but fewer than 2,000 units under construction. The firm’s report said that the construction was driven by demand, particularly for dementia care. About 40 percent of people over the age of 85 have Alzheimer’s disease or other dementia, and the over-85 population is expected […] - Texas Scores Poorly in Nursing Home Care
Families for Better Care, a nonprofit group that advocates for better nursing home care, has released its first state-by-state nursing home report card, which ranks all 50 states and the District of Columbia according to quality of care. Unfortunately for Texas residents seeking nursing home care, the state ranked last in the report, with an F grade. To compile the information used in the report cards, the group used performance data from the Nursing Home Compare program of the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services, Kaiser Health Foundation performance information, and complaint data provided by each state’s Office of the […] - Thieves and Scammers Target Elders
An alarming number of scams and thefts target elders. One type of scam takes advantage of the public’s confusion over changes in health insurance. Someone perpetrating this type of fraud may call a senior and say that new Medicare cards are being issued and they just need to verify some personal information. A similar trick is for callers to say they are IRS agents. The goal is to obtain personal details such as Social Security numbers, which can be used to set up credit cards or loans in victims’ names, or claim their income tax refunds. Seniors may be targeted […] - Copper May Play a Role in Alzheimer’s Disease
New research indicates that copper found in drinking water, foods and vitamin supplements may play a role in the buildup of proteins and inflammation of the brain that are associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Copper is necessary for bone and tissue growth, hormone secretion and nerve conduction, but the new research from the University of Rochester Medical Center suggests that too much copper has negative effects on human health. The research was published in the journal PNAS. The research found that copper, even in amounts that are common and allowable by the FDA, can affect the barrier that keeps toxins from […]
