Nursing home residents have the right to refuse or decline particular treatments. But what is the responsibility of the nursing home for delivering care when a resident is non-compliant? Simply for the fact that a resident has exercised her choice does not allow the nursing home to give up or neglect their duties. In this week’s episode, we explore the relationship between a resident’s right and the obligations of the nursing home for finding alternatives.

In April 2020, Governor Brian Kemp issued an Executive Order protecting nursing homes and nursing home staff from claims of negligence during the Covid-19 state of emergency. What does this mean for cases other than Covid-19, like cases for abuse? What were the infection control protocols for nursing homes before and after Covid-19? In this week’s episode, we unpack the right of those who have been injured or killed in Georgia nursing homes during the pandemic.

Hearing loss in nursing home residents may have a critical impact on quality of life. As such, facility staff should be encouraged to embarrass more comprehensive hearing assessments. On this week’s episode, we welcome Dr. Kathy Dowd, AuD to talk about hearing assessments, care plans, and the “hearing standard of care” for nursing home residents.

The Center for Elder Law & Justice is a non-profit civil legal services agency, providing free legal representation in Western New York. On this week’s episode, we welcome Lindsay Heckler, supervising attorney, to discuss the Center’s mission.

Every nursing home must conduct a comprehensive assessment of each resident’s specific risk for skin breakdown. With hundreds of variables, systematizing such an assessment for efficient use by nursing home staff is critical. In this week’s episode, we welcome Dr. Nancy Bergstrom, who along with Dr. Barbara Braden, developed the Braden Scale for Predicting Pressure Ulcer Risk to talk about the importance of skin assessments and the myriad of variables at play. 

Under Federal law, nursing homes are required to assess every resident for risk of pressure ulcer development using an interdisciplinary team that includes nurses, physicians, and other hands-on care givers. Why is such a comprehensive approach necessary? Holistic approaches provide better prevention and treatment plans. In this week’s episode, we welcome Dr. Aletha Tippett to talk about how simple, systematic approaches to assessments can yield great results for residents.

We’ve made it 150 Episodes! In celebration of this milestone, we are dedicating the episode to highlighting five valuable resources to families of loved ones in nursing homes. From informative websites to advocacy groups, nursing home lawyers Rob Schenk and Will Smith discuss the must-know tools to help prevent neglect in Georgia nursing homes.

Georgia regulations require that a resident’s representative be called at certain times. For example, when a resident suffers an injury or requires a new medication.  On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorney Rob Schenk discusses five circumstances in which nursing homes are required to call a loved one.

Georgia nursing homes are required to follow both Federal and State regulations. Of the hundreds and hundreds of pages of regulations, many rules affect the day-to-day welfare of nursing home residents, from grievance filings to health assessment obligations. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorneys Rob Schenk and Will Smith discuss five things to know about Georgia nursing home regulations.

Recent surveys reveal that between 4% and 6% of seniors inside or outside long-term care facilities are victims of financial abuse, physical abuse or neglect. The numbers climb each year. It is up to all of us to reverse these trends. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorneys Rob Schenk and Will Smith discuss four ways to report abuse and neglect in Georgia’s nursing homes.