The 1.5 million elderly & disabled individuals residing in nursing homes are a vulnerable population. Concerns with inadequate care involving malnutrition, dehydration, & other forms of neglect have contributed to mounting scrutiny from state & Fed. auth. There is also growing concern that some residents are abused -- pushed, slapped, beaten, & otherwise assaulted -- by the individuals to whom their care has been entrusted. This report: determines whether allegations of abuse are reported promptly to local law enforcement & state survey agencies, assesses the extent to which abusers are prosecuted & the impediments to successful prosecutions, & evaluates whether sufficient safeguards exist to protect residents from abusive individuals.

The report provides information on the enforcement of federal nursing home standards. It (1) provides national data on the existence of serious deficiencies in nursing home compliance with Medicare & Medicaid standards, & (2) discusses the use of sanction authority for homes that failed to maintain compliance with the standards. It also evaluates the extent to which these actions would address any problems identified. Includes testimony by William J. Scanlon, Dir., Health Financing & Public Health Issues, Health, Education, & Human Services Division, GAO. Charts & tables.

Written by leading international experts, this book discusses the latest advances in the field of dementia in nursing homes. The topics and findings covered are based on their survey and on a scientific literature review. Dementia is spreading worldwide, placing a growing burden on healthcare systems and caregivers, as well as those affected. With increasing and complex care needs, nursing home admission is often necessary. Globally, over half of nursing home residents suffer from dementia. The book provides essential information on the most important issues in dementia in nursing homes today, including meaningful activities, patient-/person-centered care, psychosocial interventions, challenging behavior, inclusion and support of family members, pain, staff training and education, communication, polypharmacy, quality of life, end-of-life care and advanced care planning, depression, delirium, multidisciplinary approaches, physical restraints and care dependency. Each topic is covered by an international expert in dementia. As such, the book will appeal to professional nurses, nursing scientists, nursing students, other healthcare professionals, and to a broad readership, and will provide a valuable resource for those working in nursing homes, as well as researchers in the field.

This volume outlines the belief that nursing homes can and should support the physical, psychological, and social needs of residents, and that residents can thrive in nursing homes when these needs are met. The book's contributors explore the role that palliative or comfort care plays in enhancing the quality of life of nursing home residents as well as the medical, familial, psychological, cultural, and financial issues that influence decision-making about end-of-life care. The book is designed to be a tool to prepare social workers to advocate for a greater incorporation of palliative care and psychosocial care into the culture of nursing home care. The book includes discussions of the psychosocial needs of nursing home residents and families, the financing of long-term care and end-of-life care, ethical issues in chronic care and end of life, trends and characteristics in nursing home care, rituals and grief at end-of-life, and considerations for the future. Each chapter includes case examples to further illustrate points made.