Justice for Residents Podcast

A memory care unit is a specialized form of long-term skilled nursing that centers on the care of residents with Alzheimer's disease, dementia and other types of cognitive issues. By law, nursing homes advertising memory care are obligated to meet various requirements, including specialized training and treatment. In this week’s episode, nursing home abuse lawyers Rob Schenk and Will Smith welcome guest Michael Splaine of Splaine Consulting and Cognitive Specialists LLC to discuss how memory care differs from typical skilled nursing care.

One recent study estimated that more than 2.5 million individuals in the US develop pressure ulcers each year. These injuries are even more acute in long-term care, causing catastrophic problems in our elderly population. In this week’s episode, nursing home abuse lawyers Rob Schenk and Will Smith welcome guest Catherine Milne, advanced practical wound nurse and co-owner of Connecticut Clinical Nursing Associates, to talk about how long-term care facilities can help prevent pressure ulcers from occurring.

Statistics make clear that falls are a serious threat to the health of our senior population. One in three people over the age of 65 and one in two over the age of 85 experience at least one fall each year. Within that subset, persons living in the long-term care setting are ten times more likely to fall, and are far more likely to sustain serious injury as a result. In this week’s episode, nursing home abuse lawyers Rob Schenk and Will Smith welcome guest Diane Carter, RN, founder of @AANAC_LTC to talk about how long-term care facilities can help prevent residents from falling.

Although some bedsores cannot be avoided, most can and should be prevented before they start. Improper planning and care are the principle culprits to the development of bedsores. In this week’s episode, nursing home abuse lawyers Rob Schenk and Will Smith welcome guest Margo Craig, RN from Sentry Legal @legalnurse5 to talk about common interventions that can help prevent the development of bedsores in nursing home residents.

From unlawful eviction to improper use of physical restraints, there are common themes of neglect, abuse, and wrongdoing in the over 15,000 nursing homes across the country. This is why organizations like Justice in Aging @justiceinaging are fighting to educate families of nursing home residents. Their recent publication, “25 Common Nursing Home Problems- & How to Resolve Them” is an excellent resource. In this week’s episode,we welcome guest Eric Carlson, directing attorney of Justice in Aging, to talk about five common nursing home problems.

Senior Medicare Patrols (SMPs) help Medicare beneficiaries and their families detect and report healthcare fraud. SMPs across the country conduct outreach and educate, engage volunteers, and receive complaints on a daily basis.  In this week’s episode,we welcome guest Stacey Platte, Director at the Administration for Community Living @aclgov  to talk about the role that SMPs play in the fraud prevention in the elder care community.

While some pressure ulcers are unavoidable, many can be stopped before they start. As the old saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. In this week’s episode, nursing home abuse lawyers Rob Schenk and Will Smith welcome guest Martha Kelso, RN from My Wound Care Plus @mywoundcareplus to talk about common interventions that can help prevent the development of pressure ulcers in nursing homes.

A recent study by the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape @PCARORG found that nearly 83 percent of victims of elder sexual abuse reside in a long term care setting. What’s worse is that the instances of elder sexual abuse are less likely to lead to a conviction. In today’s episode, nursing home abuse attorneys Rob Schenk and Will Smith discuss the plague of sex abuse in nursing homes and how to spot the signs.

A tracheostomy (trach) tube is a curved tube inserted into the trachea for the purpose of providing air to the patient. A trach tube requires specific upkeep and care to remain safe for the patient. In today’s episode, nursing home abuse lawyers Rob Schenk and Will Smith discuss common safety issues surrounding trach tubes in nursing home residents with Michelle Glower, RN and legal nurse consultant.

Most nursing home admission documents contain arbitration agreements. Arbitration is an alternative dispute resolution method that bypasses the civil justice system. Most nursing homes favor arbitration while almost all consumer groups oppose their requirement. In today’s episode, nursing home abuse lawyers Rob Schenk and Will Smith discuss the benefits and problems with arbitration agreements in nursing homes with guest Elizabeth Newman @TigerELN, senior editor at McKnight’s @mcknightsltcn