New Jersey Nursing Home Quality of Care
The quality of care in nursing homes and assisted living facilities across the country continues to be an urgent concern as our American population ages in numbers never before seen in our history. According to a revealing new report by NJSpotlight.com, which organized data provided by investigators who annually inspect 364 New Jersey nursing homes accepting Medicare and Medicaid, “the average New Jersey nursing home has about six deficiencies, ranging from food preparation to fire exits without proper signage and lighting to physical abuse.”
New Jersey Nursing Homes Near Capacity
The study also found that New Jersey nursing homes are approaching capacity, with around 87% of their certified beds occupied by residents in 2012. The ever-growing number of elderly New Jersey citizens in need of care suggests that the occupancy figure could already have eclipsed 90%. As a matter of procedure, state inspectors visit each nursing in the New Jersey with Medicare and Medicaid residents at least once per year to investigate the level of care those residents are receiving. The visits also involve routine safety inspections as well as reviews of other conditions that impact patients’ rights, such as cleanliness, housekeeping, and staffing.
In order to help elderly citizens and their family members to make an informed decision about continuing care, Medicare has made its quality inspection data publicly available on its website. For more information about long-term care for the elderly, you can view these pamphlets which help answer questions about how to pay for elder care, nursing home resident rights, and alternatives to nursing homes.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey Elder Abuse Attorneys
While the findings of the New Jersey Medicare investigation revealed only mild deficiencies, elder abuse and neglect continues to be a growing problem nationwide. Each year, hundreds of thousands of elderly citizens suffer nursing home abuse and neglect; many thousands more cases go unreported. If you or anyone you know has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, please contact our experienced elder abuse attorneys at 1-855-462-3330 or by using our online contact form.