Justice for Residents Podcast

Infectious diseases are a major concern for our nation’s nursing home residents. In fact, Infectious diseases account for one third of all deaths in people over the age of 65. As such, infection protocols in nursing homes must be implemented as a matter of Federal law and as a line of protection. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorney Rob Schenk welcomes Richard Mollot @LTCconsumer  of the Long Term Care Community Coalition to discuss the importance of infection control protocol in nursing homes.

It goes without saying that the ability to communicate is important. However, communication for seniors in long-term care, expressing oneself is critical. Being able to communicate simple thoughts, like pain, hunger, thirst, or other desires can be life-saving. This is why speech therapy is critical. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorneys Rob Schenk and Will Smith welcome Sena Crutchley, MA, CCC-SLP of the University of North Carolina Greensboro to discuss how speech therapy plays into nursing home care.

While many experts consider falls to be preventable, they constitute more than 25% of emergency room visits for nursing home residents. In fact, this number may be well below the true number, as CMS indicates that many falls go unreported. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorney Rob Schenk welcomes Dr. Rein Tideiksaar @drrein1 of Fall Prevent LLC to discuss how the severity of injuries from falls may be reduced or eliminated.

Federal and state regulations limit the circumstances in which a nursing home may evict a resident. Based on the health circumstances of the average nursing home resident, eviction from their normal routine or surroundings can have catastrophic circumstances. Sadly, illegal evictions are on the rise. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorney Rob Schenk welcomes attorney William Alvarado Rivera @billyriv of AARP Foundation Litigation @aarpfoundation to discuss how AARP is fighting illegal evictions.

It goes without saying that most residents of nursing homes are disproportionately older and have chronic conditions, and often enter long-term care after an acute hospitalization. This makes nursing home residents especially vulnerable to safety problems in the course of their care. A systematic approach to resident safety is of the utmost importance. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorney Rob Schenk welcomes Dr. Nicholas Castle from the University of West Virginia’s Department of Health Policy and Management to discuss his research into patient safety culture in nursing homes. 

Pressure ulcers are one of the most common health problems in nursing homes. The Agency for Healthcare Research & Quality (AHRQ) project that over two million seniors will develop pressure ulcers annually. Not all pressure ulcers completely heal, and in fact, can lead to deadly complications. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorneys Rob Schenk and Will Smith welcome Martha Kelso @MarthaRKelso of @woundcareplus to discuss the diagnosis and comorbidities that prevent proper healing of pressure ulcers.

We'll be returning on Monday, January 6th, 2020 with a new episode. See you next year!!

There are many tools to achieve justice for loved ones harmed in a Georgia nursing home. Attorneys and the civil justice system are just one of those tools. But what does a lawsuit actually do? On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorneys Rob Schenk and Will Smith discuss the concepts of damages, recovery, and remedies in nursing home cases.

AAA projects 54.3 million Americans will travel by care at least 50 miles from home this Thanksgiving. A great many will visit loved ones in nursing homes for the first time in many weeks or months. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorneys Rob Schenk and Will Smith discuss five tips for keeping your loved on safe this Thanksgiving.

While historians have documented pressure ulcers dating back to the time of ancient Egypt, there still doesn’t seem to be one universal model for staging the injury. While pressure ulcers remain a common problem in long term care facilities across the country, we only seem to be inching closer to a more effective standard for diagnosing. On this week’s episode, nursing home abuse attorneys Rob Schenk and Will Smith welcome Martha Kelso @MarthaRKelso of @woundcareplus to discuss current methods of  staging a pressure ulcer and the issues that come with each.