A recent report gave West Virginia’s nursing homes a poor grade for quality of care.
Is your loved one currently residing in a nursing home in West Virginia? Are you concerned about the quality of care he or she is receiving at the long-term care facility? If so, a recent report issued by Families for Better Care may be of interest.
According to the Nursing Home Report Card issued by Families for Better Care, West Virginia’s nursing homes rank 36th in the nation. Overall, the long-term care facilities in the state received a “D” grade.
The poor score was due, in large part, to less than ideal staffing levels in many nursing homes in West Virginia. The state received a failing grade for direct care staffing levels. In all, only 44 percent of West Virginia’s nursing homes have above average staffing levels for direct care staff. On average, residents in West Virginia’s nursing homes receive just 2.25 hours of care from a direct care staff each day.
In addition, the professional nurse staffing levels earned the state a “D” grade. In all, just under 40 percent of the nursing homes in the state have above average professional nurse staffing levels. The report found that residents receive an average of 1.7 hours of care from a professional nurse every day.
The state also fared poorly when it came to the number of facilities cited for severe deficiencies. While the nursing homes in the state received an “A” for the number cited for deficiencies – 20 percent had zero deficiencies – they received a “D” for the number with severe deficiencies. In all, over 22 percent of the nursing homes in the state were cited for severe deficiencies.
Talk to an attorney if your loved one has been mistreated
When caregivers at a nursing home fail to protect the residents in the facility, they should be held accountable for the harm caused. In some cases, nursing home residents who are neglected can suffer serious injuries, ranging from bedsores to malnutrition. In addition, if a resident is not looked after properly and is able to leave the facility – a situation known as elopement – he or she can suffer injuries when not on the property.
If your loved one has been injured while in the care of a nursing home in West Virginia, you should take action to protect his or her rights. It is a wise choice to seek the counsel of an experienced personal injury attorney, who will work with you to make certain your loved one receives the compensation to which he or she may be entitled.
