We entrust nursing homes with the health and lives of our loved ones. We expect them to provide high quality care consistently. Where you live can make a big difference in the quality of care that a nursing home provides, though. According to a report by the Kaiser Family Foundation, North Carolina is rated among the worst in the United States for nursing home care. With over 400 nursing homes and almost 37,000 nursing home residents state-wide, North Carolina ranks 45th overall in the country for quality of nursing homes. 41% of all North Carolina nursing homes, or 176 facilities, are rated at only 1 or 2 stars, according to the 5-star rating system from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Comparatively, Washington, D.C. and Delaware have the lowest percentage of 1 and 2 star facilities at only 16% and 20%, respectively.
What does this mean exactly? Nursing homes are supposed to care for our elderly, but many North Carolina facilities are falling short of expectations. With 1 and 2 star ratings overall, these facilities usually have a combination of documented understaffing, pressure ulcers, medication errors, poor health inspections, and a lack of other quality measures, all of which can lead to injury and wrongful death. In our experience, chronic understaffing is often the culprit for some of the worst preventable injuries, such as bed sores, infections, and even death. Understaffing leads to nursing homes failing to give even the most basic care, like help with eating and drinking, turning and repositioning residents to avoid bed sores. If you or a loved one has been injured at the hands of a poorly-rated nursing home, contact the attorneys at Daniel, Holoman & Associates LLP. We may be able to help you get the justice you deserve. We have extensive knowledge and experience in nursing home neglect, abuse and wrongful death cases.