Elder Care in Elder Care in HarvestlandHarvestland

Great Harvest Public Health Great Harvest Public Health Department Department Council in Geriatric CareCouncil in Geriatric Care

OverviewOverview

Poor standards exist in nursing Poor standards exist in nursing homeshomes

Key issues and concerns Key issues and concerns

Solutions for better emergency Solutions for better emergency preparednesspreparedness

Message # 1Message # 1

Elder care in nursing homes and Elder care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities assisted living facilities

inadequate in addressing needs inadequate in addressing needs of elders… of elders…

especiallyespecially in times of emergency in times of emergency

and/or crisis.and/or crisis.

Devastation in New Devastation in New OrleansOrleans

34 residents of St. Rita’s 34 residents of St. Rita’s nursing home died as a nursing home died as a result of criminal result of criminal negligence.negligence.

Owners and staff did not Owners and staff did not evacuate residents evacuate residents

34 counts of negligent 34 counts of negligent homicide have been filed; homicide have been filed; no convictions as of yetno convictions as of yet

(Source: CNN News (9/13/05)(Source: CNN News (9/13/05)

Elderly Most Elderly Most VulnerableVulnerable

A majority of people killed by A majority of people killed by Hurricane Katrina were older Hurricane Katrina were older residents unable or unwilling to residents unable or unwilling to evacuate in the rising floodwatersevacuate in the rising floodwaters

Source: Source: http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/10/23/katrina.deaths.ap/index.htmlhttp://www.cnn.com/2005/US/10/23/katrina.deaths.ap/index.html

Inadequate care in Inadequate care in HarvestlandHarvestland Only 3 out of 9 nursing Only 3 out of 9 nursing facilities have consistent staff/patient facilities have consistent staff/patient

ratioratio

No nursing facilities have an operational No nursing facilities have an operational emergency preparedness planemergency preparedness plan

Recent fire shows need to develop Recent fire shows need to develop a plan of actiona plan of action

DHHS DHHS RecommendationsRecommendations

Minimum of two hours of care Minimum of two hours of care each day from nurses aides each day from nurses aides

Patients receive at least 12 Patients receive at least 12 minutes minutes

a day of care from registered a day of care from registered nurses. nurses.

– Source: Source: http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/aging/07/24/nursing.homes.ap/index.hhttp://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/aging/07/24/nursing.homes.ap/index.htmltml

Message #2Message #2

Staff turnover is extremely high Staff turnover is extremely high and is a contributing factor and is a contributing factor

Increase staff trainingIncrease staff training More rigorous health care worker More rigorous health care worker

certification processcertification process Increase salaries and improve working Increase salaries and improve working

conditions (e.g. schedules)conditions (e.g. schedules) Higher licensure requirements for Higher licensure requirements for

institutions and personnelinstitutions and personnel

High TurnoverHigh Turnover

Results from a recent U.S. Department Results from a recent U.S. Department of Health and Human Services study of Health and Human Services study revealed understaffing contributes to revealed understaffing contributes to increased patient incidences of:increased patient incidences of:

severe bed sores severe bed sores malnutritionmalnutrition abnormal weight loss abnormal weight loss

Source: Source: http://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/07/26/nursing.home.danger/ihttp://archives.cnn.com/2000/HEALTH/07/26/nursing.home.danger/index.htmlndex.html

High Turnover High Turnover

High turnover can lead to nursing High turnover can lead to nursing facility residents vulnerable to facility residents vulnerable to injury or death.injury or death.

Low staff-to-patient ratio doesn’t Low staff-to-patient ratio doesn’t contribute to the safety/well-contribute to the safety/well-being of nursing residents.being of nursing residents.

Message #3Message #3

Comprehensive policies and Comprehensive policies and procedures, such as procedures, such as

emergency evacuation, must emergency evacuation, must be established and practiced. be established and practiced.

SolutionsSolutions

Mandatory accreditation for nursing care Mandatory accreditation for nursing care homes and assisted living facilities in homes and assisted living facilities in excess of those established by Centers excess of those established by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS)(CMS)– Establish operational procedure manuals Establish operational procedure manuals

and drillsand drills– Modify and improve staff variablesModify and improve staff variables

Increase facility and staff licensure Increase facility and staff licensure requirements requirements

Increase salariesIncrease salaries Improve schedulesImprove schedules

MedicareMedicare

Improvements require continued Improvements require continued Medicare and Medicaid funding Medicare and Medicaid funding

Great Harvest Council in Geriatric Great Harvest Council in Geriatric Care advocates for reversal of Care advocates for reversal of cuts in Medicare reimbursementcuts in Medicare reimbursement

Emergency Emergency PreparednessPreparedness Create emergency plans for each Create emergency plans for each

long term care facility to be long term care facility to be reviewed by the DOHreviewed by the DOH

Practice drills on a regular basisPractice drills on a regular basis

Target AudienceTarget Audience

Target audience for this story Target audience for this story include:include:– Harvestland baby-boomers Harvestland baby-boomers – Harvestland elderlyHarvestland elderly– Citizen watch groupsCitizen watch groups– Governors and legislators involved Governors and legislators involved

with fundingwith funding

Best news outletsBest news outlets

Local Newspapers Local Newspapers – Harvestland Daily TribuneHarvestland Daily Tribune– Smaller regional weekly papers Smaller regional weekly papers

Internet OutletsInternet Outlets– Harvestland Daily Tribune web Harvestland Daily Tribune web

publicationpublication

Other ResourcesOther Resources

National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing National Citizens’ Coalition for Nursing Home Reform (http://www.nccnhr.org/)Home Reform (http://www.nccnhr.org/)

The US Administration on Aging (The US Administration on Aging (http://www.aoa.gov/http://www.aoa.gov/))

Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services Services (http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/sur(http://www.cms.hhs.gov/medicaid/survey-cert)vey-cert)