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Nursing Home Facts
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Today, about 1.5 million Americans live in our nation's 17,000 nursing
homes.
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More than 90 percent of America's nursing home residents are over 65.
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88 percent of America's nursing home residents are white.
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Three out of four nursing home residents are women.
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The typical nursing home resident is a woman in her 80's, who shows
mild forms of memory loss and dementia.
Although physically healthy for her age, she needs help with about 4
of 5 activities
of daily living (eating, dressing, bathing, transferring,
toileting). Over her lifetime, she's saved for retirement, but the
average cost of nursing home care is too expensive. She is, therefore,
unable to afford the care she needs after six months and will be
forced to rely on Medicaid.
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Two out of every three nursing home residents rely on Medicaid.
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Every 8 seconds, an American baby boomer (those born between 1946 and
1964) turns 50.
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By 2030, one in every five Americans will be a senior citizen.
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Americans 85 and older are the faster growing segment of the national
population. From 1960-1994, that group increased by more than 274
percent.
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Americans 85 and older are the heaviest users of long-term health care
services.
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Longevity is expected to rise for all ages.
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More than 15 percent of Pennsylvania's residents are 65 or older.
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Two out of every five Americans will need long-term care at some point
in their lives.
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In 1996, the average cost of a stay in a nursing home was $41,000 per
year.
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Only one in four Americans can afford private nursing home care for
one year. The average stay in 1995 for a nursing home resident was 2.3
years.
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On average, 8 out of 10 beds in certified nursing homes in America are
occupied.
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In Pennsylvania, more than 90 percent of beds in certified nursing
homes were occupied by March 2000.
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In 1995, America's nursing homes were 87 percent full.
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Most nursing homes (66 percent) are operated for profit and more than
half are operated as part of a chain. This has resulted in fewer, but
larger, nursing homes.
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More than half of American nursing homes (54 percent) are below the
suggested minimum staffing level for nurse's
aides. Nurse's aides are the lowest paid and least trained of all
nursing home staff, but they most often feed and bathe patients.
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Nearly one in every four nursing homes (23 percent) are below the
suggested minimum staffing level for total licensed staff.
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Nearly one third of nursing homes (31 percent) are below the suggested
minimum staffing level for registered nurses. The minimum staffing
level for registered nurses is only 12 minutes per day per patient.
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Registered nurses in Medicare/Medicaid-certified nursing homes spend
an average of 42 minutes a day with each patient. Licensed practical
nurses spend the same amount of time per patient per day. Certified
nursing assistants spend an average of 2 hours and 6 minutes per day
with each patient. This results in 3½ hours of direct and indirect
care from all sources per resident in a 24-hour period.
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Low staffing levels in America's nursing homes contribute to an
increase in severe bedsores
, malnutrition, and dehydration,
which lead to increased hospitalization.
Sources:
American Health Care Association, Facts and Trends
; Health Care Financing Administration, 1996; U.S. Census Bureau 1996; Modern
Health, March 10, 1997; the United States Senate Special Committee
on Aging News Release dated July 27, 2000; 1999 Census Estimates of the
Older Population; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services 1997: An
Overview of Nursing Homes and Their Current Residents: Data from the
1995 National Nursing Home Survey; U.S. Department of Health and
Human Services: Your Guide to Choosing a Nursing Home; American
Health Care Association's Online Survey, Certification and Reporting
Data (March 2000); Malnutrition and Dehydration in Nursing Homes:
Key Issues in Prevention and Treatment (National Citizens' Coalition
for Nursing Home Reform, June 2000)
Put our experience to work for youWhen a loved one as been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, you need an experienced law firm that will work hard to protect your loved one's rights. The attorneys at Edgar Snyder & Associates have been helping injury victims and their families for over 25 years. In addition, our highly-rated law firm has represented more than 30,000 injured people and has answered over 350,000 injury-related legal questions. Let us put this experience to work for you. |
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