Local nursing homes in the Savannah/Chatham County area were recently inspected and rated by federal oversight authorities. The facilities will never tell you their ratings, but Lasky Justus Law will. You have a right to this information. You should be aware of if you are considering placing an elder in a local nursing home or already have.
Nursing homes throughout the United States are inspected and rated by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Based upon their inspections, CMS assigns a “star rating,” much like hotels are rated; a five-star facility is the best, while a one-star facility is the worst. CMS guidelines define “one-star” as “much below average.”
Recently, CMS updated its star ratings for the fourteen nursing homes in the Savannah/Chatham area. Of those, only two were rated as 5-star facilities. 71 percent of our area facilities ranked 3 stars or below.
If you think 71 percent being rated three stars or below is bad – it gets worse! 5 area nursing homes ranked only one star – far below average. That’s 40 percent of the nursing homes in the Savannah/Chatham County area!
These ratings should concern our community. They represent larger issues, namely trust and safety – can we trust these facilities to properly care for our elderly loved ones? Are our elders being kept safe? Trust and safety are two key issues that should be included in your decision for nursing home placement. How do you make such an important decision? Ask questions. Go beyond the lobby and see a resident room. Check out the day room, dining room, and therapy rooms. Be satisfied that you can trust the facility to keep your loved one safe.
Here are some common signs of nursing home negligence for you to watch for when you visit your elder:
- Apparent staff shortages
- High staff turnover
- Pressure sores on the low back, buttocks, or heals
- Dehydration
- Falls with injuries
- Medication errors
- Contractures of the arms or legs
- Excessive weight loss
- Failure to follow the doctor’s orders
- Septic UTI’s
If you suspect your elder has been neglected or injured by a nursing home, call Lasky Justus Law. Our long-term care litigation team has been representing our injured elders and their families for over 30 years. At Lasky Justus Law, we never charge for a consultation for the assessment of your case.
