The need to move a loved one into a nursing home or assisted living facility often comes suddenly — after a fall, a medical crisis or the loss of a caregiver. Experts say knowing what to look for can make a critical difference. Federal data and star ratings can help rule out the worst nursing homes, but they shouldn't be the only guide. Experts on long-term care say staffing levels are the most important factor. They say visiting facilities at night or on weekends is key to getting a complete picture. They recommend looking beyond a nice lobby to see if there are odors, call bells ringing nonstop or employees speaking disrepecfully to residents.
By ROBIN ERB and SIMON D. SCHUSTER/Bridge Michigan Bridge Michigan
Nearly three-dozen residents of Michigan nursing homes have died of suspected neglect or abuse in the past four years, according to a Bridge Michigan review of state and federal records and court documents. Bridge's investigation documented nearly 6,000 cases of abuse, neglect, exploitation or quality of life and care violations among the more than 15,000 total citations for violations ranging from incomplete paperwork to poor care. In all, homes have been fined $21.5 million over the past three years and been denied a total of 6,451 days of Medicaid reimbursements. Michigan lawmakers have failed to pass laws to protect residents, including requiring more per-patient staff time. Families say they aren't informed about death investigations.
Nursing homes around the U.S. say they're feeling the effects of President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown. As Trump has rescinded work authorizations for various groups of immigrants with Temporary Protected Status, long-term care employees have been pulled from their jobs. Meantime, facilities around the country say they're seeing a narrowing of the pipeline of potential candidates. Some homes who had tapped refugees from Afghanistan, Ukraine and elsewhere are lamenting the pause of refugee arrivals. Others who sought out nurses in Nigeria and the Philippines say visa waits are dragging on so long that candidates are choosing other countries.
