Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect

Published on: March 18, 2014

Study Says Alcohol Has Increased Affect on Seniors

Alcohol tends to affect different people in different ways, and younger drivers are typically believed to be at the highest at risk for destructive alcohol- related behaviors, like drunk driving accidents.However, seniors could be just as much at risk of being involved in accidents after they have consumed alcohol.What is even more dangerous about seniors and drinking is that alcohol consumption does not have to be large for it to affect many seniors’ driving abilities.According to research, even small amounts of alcohol can affect an older driver’s driving abilities, increasing his or her risk of being involved in a car accident.

The study was conducted by researchers who analyzed how drinking alcohol affects driving abilities, based on age.Persons in the age group of 25 to 35 were compared with another group which consisted of persons 55 to 70 years old.In both groups, persons consumed alcohol, but not enough for any of them to cross the maximum permissible blood-alcohol level in most states of .08%.In other words, nobody in either of these groups met the criteria for being legally intoxicated.

However, researchers found to their surprise that even when seniors drank just a few alcoholic beverages, it impacted their ability to drive safely.They monitored the driving abilities of seniors by putting them through a driving simulator, and found that even mild amounts of alcohol intoxication in seniors did affect driving abilities.

Published on: January 30, 2014

Alarming Increase in Spinal Cord Injuries across U.S.

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

According to a new study conducted by researchers at Johns Hopkins University, the number of traumatic spinal cord injuries recorded in the United States is on the increase. Another major change that the research showed is that the primary cause of serious spinal cord injuries in the United States is no longer automobile collisions, but slip and fall accidents.

The Johns Hopkins research analyzed a total of 43,137 adults who received treatment in hospital emergency rooms after suffering a spinal cord injury. These adults were treated for their injuries between 2007 and 2009. The researchers found in their analysis that the incidence of spinal cord injury in the 18-64 age group ranged from 52.3 injuries per million in 2007, to 49.9 million in 2009.

While that constituted a drop in the number of traumatic spinal cord injuries that were recorded in this age category, there was an increase in the number of spinal cord injuries recorded among older citizens. In the 65 and above age group, the number of spinal cord injuries actually increased during the study period. These injuries increased from 79.4 injuries per million adults in 2007, to 87.7 injuries per million adults in 2009.

Published on: August 15, 2012

Could Vitamin D Supplements Be the Secret to Preventing Fall Accidents?

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Fall accidents are extremely serious, especially when they involve the elderly.It is estimated that between 30% and 40% of all seniors will suffer a fall accident at least once every year.Our Atlanta slip and fall attorneys agree with research that also shows that many of these persons will never recover from their injuries, and many will have a much higher risk of dying in the 12 months following the fall accident.

Treatment for falls and fractures may be routine in the rest of the population but in the elderly, treatment is far more complicated and hard to predict.It’s the reason why it is so important to prevent fall accidents involving the elderly in the first place.

New research seems to suggest that daily doses of vitamin D supplements could actually help reduce the risk of fall accidents involving senior citizens.The research, which was published recently in the Annals of Internal Medicine, found that a daily dose of vitamin D supplements helped reduce the risk of fall accidents by as much as 17%.In the study, the subjects were given vitamin D supplements of around 800 international unit per day.The risks of suffering a fall accident was substantially reduced compared to people who did not take the supplements.

Published on: March 22, 2012

Nursing Home Resident Killed in Fight, Nursing Home Abuse Lawsuit Likely

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

A state report blames a nursing home that failed to supervise two residents who had a history of altercations with each other, for a fatal fight that killed one of the residents.Unfortunately, nursing home abuse situations often arise due to inadequate supervision of residents and/or inadequate training of staff to evaluate the potential for resident-on-resident attacks. As nursing home abuse attorneys know, these attacks can often turn deadly.

Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyers have known for a long while that Georgia struggles with providing a safe environment for nursing home residents.In 2002, a report by the American Medical Association found that nursing home abuse problems in Georgia were at crisis levels.In fact, during this period of time, nursing home abuse claims in the state rose not just in frequency, but also in the severity of injuries involved.

Often, elder abuse in nursing homes can be traced to a shortage of staff.Many nursing facilities deal with low reimbursement rates by cutting back on staff numbers, and therefore, eroding the quality of care.As a result, there are fewer numbers of staff members to pay individual attention to senior residents, many of who are in delicate health.

Published on: February 4, 2012

ProPublica Exposé Reveals Nursing Home Abuse Related Deaths Rarely Investigated

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

According to a new exposé by ProPublica, an unknown number of senior citizens who die in nursing homes around the country may have died due to nursing home abuse.However, their families may never know because investigations into such a wrongful death are rare. Nursing home abuse attorneys are well aware of the serious nature of the problem. When investigating these matters, we often find that the nursing home has been active in trying to cover up the abuse, rather than conducting an honest investigation which uncovers the issue and provides useful information to improving the care they provide.

As part of the exposé, the team at ProPublicainvestigated coroner and medical examiner’s office records, and looked at the number of sudden and unusual fatalities at several nursing homes.They found in their investigations that in cases involving seniors who die suddenly, or under any kind of suspicious circumstances, there is no guarantee of any investigation into the death.ProPublicahas reached several conclusions that point to systemic flaws.

For instance, when a senior death is reported as natural, coroners and medical examiners very rarely investigate it.However, the fact is that very often, doctors make errors in judging whether a death is natural or not.In one study conducted in 2008, approximately 50% of doctors were not able to correctly identify the cause of death for an elderly patient who had died after a brain injury that occurred as a result of a fall accident.What this means is that an unknown number of deaths in nursing homes are probably being classified as natural deaths, when they are anything but.

Published on: July 3, 2011

Atlanta Seniors at Higher Risk of Injury in Slip and Fall Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Seniors in Atlanta are at a high risk of suffering serious injuries in a slip and fall accident because of their age, gait, vision problems and a number of other factors.A new study conducted in the UK focuses on how a senior’s direction of gaze and walking style affects his risk of a fall accident.

The research is being funded by the Age UK, and is probing the link between vision and a slip and fall accident.Researchers are specifically looking at the theory that a person’s risk of a fall accident increases when he is looking straight ahead, and not down at obstacles that are in front of him.According to the research, older adults who look directly ahead at obstacles in the distance may be at a higher risk of a fall accident than those who look at obstacles in front of them.

Age UK is planning more studies into the prevention of fall accidents involving the elderly.Soon, the group will initiate a new study involving people over the age of 65.Researchers are currently looking for subjects who will participate in this new research.The research will involve a four-hour experiment during which the subjects must walk over a 7 m walkway.The participants will be required to take precise steps on a target marked on the road, as well as over a series of marked obstacles.While they walk, a number of variables will measured, including the participants’ eye and body movements.Saliva samples will be tested.Participants will also be surveyed about their experiences while walking.Through this study, the researchers hope to determine safer ways of walking for senior adults.

Published on: June 12, 2011

Lack of Street Planning Exposes Atlanta Elders to Pedestrian Accidents, Injuries

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

Elderly pedestrians account for just 13% of the American population, but comprise 22% of all pedestrian accident deaths here.It doesn’t take an Atlanta pedestrian accident lawyerto understand that these pedestrians are simply at a higher risk of being fatally injured in accidents.However, the situation could get worse.As the nation’s baby boomers step into their mid-60s, transportation safety advocates expect these pedestrian safety problems to explode.

Not only are seniors living much longer, but they are also living healthier lives.A 65-year-old American today probably lives independently, and walks a lot for leisure for health.Unfortunately, these persons are likely walking on streets that have not been designed with their safest interests in mind.

Many of the streets were designed decades ago, when there were fewer numbers of pedestrians on the street, let alone elderly pedestrians.In those days, streets were designed for automobiles only.An elderly person is slower than most people for who our crosswalks were designed.That’s a fact of life, and street planning has not taken this into consideration.

Published on: June 11, 2011

Focus on Elder Abuse Prevention In Georgia Today

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

This week, elder safety groups and Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyers mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.The Georgia Department of Human Services is asking all people to wear purple on Wednesday to raise awareness about elder abuse.

This week, family health agencies and elder safety groups in Georgia are asking all citizens to look out for signs of elder abuse.

Signs of physical abuse of elders are easy to detect.

Published on: June 3, 2011

Even Healthy Senior Motorists May Be at Risk of Driving Errors That Cause Car Accidents which involve Injuries and Wrongful Death

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

As Atlanta car accident lawyers, we know that older motorists face specific driving challenges that may increase their chances of being involved in a serious auto accident and suffering serious injuries.However, a new study shows that the older the driver, the higher the risk of making a critical driving error that could end in an accident. The study is something that older drivers and their families in Atlanta and throughout Georgia should consider as they make decisions together about when to stop driving.

The study conducted by researchers at Australian National University, studied 266 volunteers aged between 70 and 88.The volunteers were required to take a driving test, with a driving instructor and an occupational therapist in the vehicle.

17% of the drivers in the study made critical driving mistakes, like veering or failing to check in their blind spots.The risk of making critical driving errors increased with age.For instance, drivers between the age of 70 and 74 made an average of one driving error.Drivers between the age of 85 and 89 however made an average of four critical driving errors.Additionally, those drivers who had been involved in an accident over the past five years were also much more likely to make driving errors.

Published on: May 28, 2011

MARTA Bus Driver in Dragging Accident Incident Has History of Bus Accidents

by Robert N. Katz, Esq.

The MARTA driver, who was operating the bus involved in a dragging accident that left a 62-year-old woman seriously injured, has been involved in bus accidents earlier.The woman, Belinda McMillian has been fired since the accident, but records suggest that she had a history of bad behavior on the job. As an Atlanta personal injury attorney, I have too often seen companies fail to rid themselves of problem drivers.

According to her personnel file which runs into 420 pages, she once crashed her bus into a parked car, causing the car to hit another vehicle.In another incident, her bus clipped the mirror of another parked vehicle.Her personnel report also shows plenty of complaints from passengers about her abusive nature.

However last Sunday, McMillian outdid herself.The 62-year-old passenger, who uses a walker, had just gotten off the bus and turned around when she realized that she had left her purse on the bus.Her arm got caught in the closing doors of the bus.What happened next was a nightmare for the woman.McMillian continued to operate the bus, driving on, while dragging the elderly woman alongside the bus.The woman was dragged more than 60 feet, before witnesses got McMillian to stop the bus.When the bus stopped, McMillian opened the door at which point the lady fell on the road.Not bothering to check on the lady, McMillian simply drove off from the scene.