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Kentucky Nursing Home Neglect Attorney

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Kentucky Nursing Home Neglect Attorney

Kentucky Nursing Home Neglect Attorney Hans G. Poppe

Serving Kentucky residents in striving to improve nursing home living conditions and seeking compensation for those injured as a result of nursing home negligence.

Our growing elderly population depends more and more on the institutional care for various reasons – both social and medical. Nursing home liability is regulated by federal and State laws, and nursing homes must follow these legal standards of nursing care that regulate the quality of patient care. Unfortunately, often times, these standards are breached, causing suffering and even death.

Nowadays, rarely there is a State with a yearly decline in abuse and neglect occurrences within the nursing homes. Gannet News Service has reported that out of the Nation’s 16,000 nursing facilities only 300 didn’t show up on the list of violators during state inspections over the last four years. It is now, probably, time to talk to your loved one if you suspect the nursing home you trust practices abuse and neglect. The top four complaints against nursing homes are: physical abuse, malnutrition, dehydration and verbal assault. Common signs and symptoms of abuse:

- Infections

- Verbal Abuse

- Physical Abuse

- Falls

- Fractures

- Bruises

- Bed/Pressure Sores

- Chapped Lips

- Malnutrition/Loss of Weight

- Dehydration

Nursing homes may be understaffed and the staff that is employed is often poorly trained, overworked or unethical. Often times, these care givers are hired without proper criminal checks. Unfortunately, there is no system that is ideal, and for that reason staff with abusive or even criminal backgrounds is hired. These and other conditions of care result in the neglect and abuse of patients. The Federal Nursing Home Reform serves as a basis for standards in caregiving, when not followed, can serve as a basis for compensation.

Placing a loved one in a nursing home is always a tough decision. When making this decision one must realize that caring for an elder one is believing yourself, while placing a loved one in an assisted living facility is trusting the staff. Although the institutional care limits one’s lifestyle and privacy, you should still expect quality, compassionate, and dignified care from a nursing facility. Federal law sets the basic standards of care that must be followed when caring for patients; however, they are breached often (as proven by the statistical research). If you notice bruises, wounds, change in the disposition of your elderly loved one or notice a loss of weight, there may be abuse and neglect involved in caring for your family member.

When you suspect that your trust abused and your loved one has suddenly become a victim of neglect and abuse, there is no time to wait. Abuse and neglect should be punished.

Mr. Poppe is specifically sensitive to the cases where your loved one has suffered emotionally and physically. He understands the emotional aspect that is involved in entrusting the welfare and safety of your elderly loved one to a nursing home. If the trust has been betrayed, The Poppe Law Firm can help you and your family seek fair compensation for the suffering of your loved one. We will employ our knowledge and practice in this complex type of cases and strive for your compensation and fair resolution. Mr. Poppe will do whatever it takes, including litigation to pursue justice. Do not wait and do not hesitate, call our office today.

Library for Kentucky Nursing Home Neglect Attorney:

Identifying Four Stages of a Bedsore
Description: It is important to recognize the different stages of a pressure sore.
Pressure Sores
Description: Have a loved one who is bedridden? Whether at home or in a nursing facility, it is imperative this person regularly change positions. In cases where a patient can’t help him or herself, “turning” insures pressure against the body is relieved, even for a short time. If possible, the person should sit up, stand or walk with assistance to avoid lying in one position in bed.

Lying in the one position fosters pressure by way of friction with the mattress, wrinkled clothing or a tangled bed sheet. The heels of the foot, shoulder blades, tailbone and elbows are points where friction against the underside of the body is acute. Bedsores are caused by 1) pressure such as the compression from the force of bone against surface; 2) shear force when skin tissue or muscle sags with gravity or when the skin moves in one direction and the underlying bone in another, pinching a blood vessel, restricting blood flow and depriving a skin area of healing agents oxygen and nutrients or 3) friction, which may cause shedding of epidermis layers. Incontinence and perspiration contribute to bedsores as moisture breaks down bonds between cellular tissues which can break down the epidermis.

With prolonged, unrelieved pressure, sores develop. Commonly called bedsores, they are termed pressure ulcers or decubitus by doctors. These sores are defined and revised by the National Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel, a professional organization dedicated to the prevention and treatment of pressure sores.

Stage One is referred to as superficial, where redness may occur and pain may be felt to the touch, although there is no skin tissue damage. Stage Two involves open wounds and damage to the epidermis and into but no deeper than the dermis. The sore is referred to as an abrasion or blister. Stage Three features a crater-like wound into but not through the subcutaneous skin layer. This layer has limited blood supply or circulation, so it becomes difficult to heal. With this stage, there may be more damage than apparent. Stage Four is the deepest wound, which extends into the muscle, tendon, joint or bone. Dead skin cells and wound fluid can mask the wound’s depth. According to the MayoClinic.com, Stage Four pressure sores are “extremely difficult to heal and can lead to lethal injections.”
There are two theories about pressure ulcer formation. The most accepted is the deep tissue injury theory, claiming ulcers begin deep near the bone and destroy tissue as they move outward toward the epidermis. The second theory contends skin deteriorates at the outer surface and moves deeper into the body.
As with any open wound, controlling infection is at issue. Discharge of pus (bacterial, yellowish-white liquid) is a breeding ground for excess bacteria, especially in patients with weakened immune systems. Symptoms include fever, pain, skin redness, skin warmth and odor. Antiseptics are recommended but hydrogen peroxide is not. Bandage dressings should be changed frequently
For patients with Stages One and Two ulcers, the wound care team should use guidelines established by the American Medical Directors Association (AMDA) for treatment of these lower-grade sores.
For those with Stage Three or Stage Four sores, surgery such as a tissue flap, skin graft or other closure methods may be necessary to counter anemia, gangrene or sepsis. Gas gangrene can produce toxins that completely destroy muscle tissue. Sepsis occurs after bacteria from a massive infection (Stage Four) enters the blood and spreads rapidly, possibly causing shock as well as organ failure.
A more recent intervention is negative pressure wound therapy, which is the application of topical negative pressure to the wound. This technique, developed by scientists at Wake Forest University, uses foam placed into the wound cavity which is then covered in a film which creates an airtight seal. Once this seal is established, the technician is able to remove pus and other infectious materials in addition to aiding the body to produce tissue for the creation of new skin layers.
In the most severe case (someone with paralysis) pain from the development of a pressure sore cannot be sensed. With no warning signals, the patient doesn’t know to shift their position in bed. For smokers, their ability to physically fight a pressure sore is compromised since nicotine impairs blood flow and reduces oxygen in the bloodstream. Older individuals tend to have thinner skin and are susceptible to physical injury from pressure, friction or shear on the body. They weigh less, meaning there is less muscle or fatty tissue surrounding bones. If someone has poor nutrition, their skin and blood vessels are weakened, making them vulnerable to wound formation. The healing and re-growth rate of skin cells declines in an elderly person who may be fighting a pressure sore.
Information on the new Medicare Precription Drug Plan [PDF]
Description: We can't rely on nursing homes to to ensure our loved ones get their medicines paid for by Medicare. If you or a loved one use Medicare to get precription drugs, you'll want to read this helpful document.
Kentucky Nursing Home Abuse
Description: Information to help the general public determine when there is a legal case of elder abuse.
National Coalition for Nursing Home Reform's Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home [PDF]
Description: Published by the National Coaltion for Nursing Home Reform, this nine page guide will help you choose a nursing home for your loved one.
Medicare-How to Choose a Nursing Home [PDF]
Description: If you are responsible for choosing a nursing home for a loved on, download this special Medicare publication.

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Frequent Questions for Kentucky Nursing Home Neglect Attorney:

Videos about Kentucky Nursing Home Neglect Attorney:

Attorney Hans Poppe Explains Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect and Why It Occurs.

Web Resources for Kentucky Nursing Home Neglect Attorney:

HensonFuerst North Carolina Nursing Home Blog
Description: This blog is designed to educate those with loved ones in nursing homes, legal professionals, and our clients as to recent legal developments, news and happenings in the world that affect the quality of nursing home care. We will include: recent legal opinions affecting nursing home cases from around the state and country, state and federal legislative actions, new developments in Medicare and Medicaid policies, mandatory binding arbitration, medical research and journal articles affecting the elderly, and other current nursing home news items.
Steve Evan's Blog on Elder Law
National Coalition for Nursing Home Reform
Description: They are consumers and advocates who define and achieve quality for people with long-term care needs. They accomplish quality through:
informed, empowered consumers
effective citizen groups and ombudsman programs
promoting best practices in care delivery
public policy responsive to consumer needs
enforcement for consumer-directed living standards
Mississippi Elder Law Attorney Ronald Morton
Description: Mississippi Medicaid Planning Lawyers. The Morton Elder Law is a Mississippi based law firm helping families protect assets from unnecessary taxes, probate, and nursing home expense throughout Mississippi.
National Senior Citizens Law Center
Description: The National Senior Citizens Law Center advocates before the courts, Congress and federal agencies to promote the independence and well-being of low-income elderly and disabled Americans.
Home Health Care for Seniors
Description: Home Care for Seniors offer comprehensive and compassionate elder home health care to individuals, while sustaining your independence and quality of life.
Kentucky Nursing Home Reform
Description: Excellent information on Kentucky nursing homes and the ongoing effort to improve nursing home care by grass roots and legislative efforts.