The Nursing Home Inspect tool from ProPublica, an independent nonprofit news organization, allows people to easily access data about nursing home abuse, neglect, or other shortcomings in their state. Updated monthly with information in reports provided by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the tool reveals a concerning trend in inadequate care at nursing homes across the nation.
Based on recent inspections, nursing facilities in California, Illinois, and several other states are showing some alarming reports of nursing home deficiencies (failures to meet federal regulations for care standards). Now, thanks to ProPublica’s journalism, people can easily see how their local nursing homes hold up against federal standards.
ProPublica hopes the tool will help families protect their loved ones from nursing home neglect and abuse and hold negligent facilities accountable. Learn about some of the tool’s latest reports below.
The team at the Nursing Home Abuse Center is available to help those impacted by abuse take legal action.
Get a free case review now if you or a loved one have experienced abuse or neglect at a nursing home to learn how you can take action.
Free Case ReviewWhere Are the Highest Rates of Nursing Home Deficiencies?
Unfortunately, all 50 states have nursing home deficiencies, but some states have more concerning findings. Learn about some state deficiencies below.
California
California is home to 1,170 skilled nursing facilities. Of those, 254 currently face serious deficiencies, many of which put residents in immediate jeopardy or at risk of harm, injury, or death.
Some recently reported nursing home deficiencies in California include:
- Improper use of physical restraints for two residents with intellectual disabilities. One of the residents suffered bruising as a result.
- Failure to protect residents from any type of abuse, whether physical, emotional, or sexual abuse from other residents. One resident was hit by another resident, and staff failed to separate the two residents when they heard of the abuse.
- Violation of resident privacy and right to dignified treatment due to inadequate curtains during personal hygiene routines. One resident asked staff for better curtains, but his requests went unanswered for months.
- Improper medication administration caused one resident in Torrance, California to suffer three opioid overdoses despite a physician advising staff to reduce medication frequency.
These are only a few of the heartbreaking stories in California that residents are facing nearly every day.
Florida
The state of Florida has 697 nursing homes, and more than 28% of those facilities are currently facing serious deficiencies.
A facility in Miami had 16 deficiencies cited in one report, affecting many residents’ quality of life, nutrition, and more. An alarming finding was residents smoking in undesignated areas without supervision, putting other residents at risk of secondhand smoke exposure.
Other reported nursing home deficiencies in Florida include:
- Failure to provide adequate supervision to prevent nursing home injuries at a Miami facility, resulting in one resident wandering from the nursing home on more than one occasion.
- Administration neglecting to use nursing home resources to provide a safe environment for all residents.
- Failure to treat pressure ulcers or bedsores, leading to a resident’s serious infection and death.
In addition, 497 nursing homes in Florida are facing infection-related deficiencies. This means facilities are not following safety precautions to protect residents from severe illnesses and infections like COVID-19.
Georgia
Of 357 nursing homes in Georgia, 51 facilities are facing serious deficiencies. Overall, the state must pay $9.62 million in nursing home fines.
This year, some reports on nursing home deficiencies in Georgia include:
- Failure to provide basic life support/CPR, resulting in a resident’s death.
- Lack of training for nurses to transfer a resident from bed to their wheelchair with a mechanical lift, causing the resident to fall.
- Not providing adequate supervision to residents, resulting in a resident’s fall and fracture of their ribs.
Illinois
Illinois currently has the worst rating for infection-related deficiencies, with an overwhelming majority of the state’s nursing homes facing infection-related violations.
The most recently reported nursing home deficiencies in Illinois are:
- Failure to provide adequate food and fluids for a resident for 16 days, resulting in malnutrition, dehydration, and dangerous weight loss.
- Not responding to a resident’s report of sexual abuse by a facility staff member, putting more than 150 residents at risk of similar abuse.
- Neglecting residents in need of one-on-one supervision, resulting in one resident abusing multiple fellow residents.
More than 250 of the state’s nursing home facilities have recent serious deficiencies, totaling $69 million in fines across the state. Illinois ranks third for the highest average nursing home fines among all states.
Connect With Nursing Home Abuse & Neglect Resources
Nursing homes are expected to provide adequate and appropriate care according to all standards set by each state’s Department of Health and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and CMS.
However, as these reports on ProPublica’s Nursing Home Inspect tool indicate, far too many homes are providing inadequate care and endangering residents nearly every day. Sadly, many residents feel they must suffer in silence, but resources are available to help families pursue justice.
If you or a loved one have experienced nursing home abuse or neglect, the Nursing Home Abuse Center is here for you. Our team can connect you with trusted nursing home abuse lawyers with the skill and experience needed to hold negligent facilities and staff accountable.
The action you take could secure money for your family for the pain and suffering you’ve endured and protect future residents from experiencing the same abuse. Contact us now to see how we can help.
