MIAMI – 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East Florida (1199SEU Florida) today released a study that examines nursing home chain Consulate Health Care’s track record of federal and state fines and below-average care that has put the health of seniors and people living with a disability at risk.
Continue readingConsulate Health Care is a fast-growing, large nursing home chain with 151.7% increase in revenues since 2010iii. However, the data shows Consulate failed to comply with the state’s minimum staffing standards in 16% of its facilities for the first quarter of 2013. The use of antipsychotic medications at Consulate nursing homes was above average in all but one of the homes for the first quarter of 2013. These are serious issues that have an impact on the quality of life for nursing home residents that need immediate intervention.
Click here to read the full report.
Staffing levels are of grave concern to us because, while we are barely above the state’s minimum standards, Consulates current levels mean that we have between 4-6 more residents than we did before. As you can imagine, this means we don’t get to spend the quality time that we need with each person to ensure that we can serve their meals warm, or ensuring they are as comfortable, changed, cleaned or attended to as we (and we think you) would like.
Continue readingThroughout the 2012 Florida legislative session, caregivers, concerned citizens and families with loved ones in a nursing home have been taking action in Tallahassee and across the state to restore the 18 minutes per day of bedside care that was cut for each nursing home resident last year.
Here are some of the milestones of the Every Minute Counts campaign in our effort to protect nursing home residents from life-threatening cuts to bedside care:
Throughout the remainder of the 2012 legislative session, the Every Minute Counts campaign will continue raising awareness and pressuring lawmakers to do the right thing by restoring safe staffing and bedside care in nursing homes.
The budget cuts to bedside care in Florida’s nursing homes, passed last year, have impacted thousands of nursing homes residents and nursing home workers. Staffing levels were reduced from a minimum weekly average of 2.9 hours of care per resident per day to 2.5 hours, which shortens the amount of time caregivers spend with residents by 18 minutes per day.
The budget cuts also forced more than 2,650 health care workers into unemployment. On January 18, during the second week of the 2012 legislative session, 1199SEIU Florida members took matters into their own hands and traveled to the state capital in Tallahassee to urge lawmakers to restore safe staffing levels in Florida.
“When we learned the state rolled-back minimum safe staffing levels, we felt like our wings were clipped and wondered how are we going to take care of people’s loved ones in the best way possible,” said Doreen Holm, a CNA of 23 years who works at Avanté Nursing Home in Palm Beach.
To encourage the passage of the safe staffing legislation, 1199SEIU members walked the halls of the Capitol and educated lawmakers on the life-threatening impact these cuts are having on Florida’s seniors. They delivered booklets filled with 18 stories to signify the 18 minutes of lost care per day and ask for quality healthcare to be a top priority. Members also asked Governor Rick Scott to “work-a-day” with them in a Florida nursing home so he can see first-hand what the steep budget cuts are doing to Florida’s elders.
“Because of these cuts, basic, simple needs that the rest of us take for granted everyday are not being met,” said Jean Berg, 32-year veteran nursing home worker and Pasco County CNA. “If they get their teeth brushed, it’s a good day. As caregivers, we are put in a terrible position of having to prioritize and the most pressing situations come first – which leaves others at risk of falling out of their beds and not being fed on time. Lawmakers must take this seriously and do the right thing for our elders!”
The Florida Channel, a statewide public television network covering Florida politics and the legislative session, extensively covered the 1199SEIU FL Lobby Day events. Their story included interviews with nursing home workers and both of the bill sponsors as well as clips of the members delivering packets and educating lawmakers. (7:06 is where the coverage begins)
Tallahassee, Florida – The budget cuts to bedside care in nursing homes, passed last year, have impacted thousands of nursing homes residents – putting their lives in danger. Healthcare workers, families, advocates and retirees will travel to the Capitol to tell the stories of increased falls, infection and bedsores and ask lawmakers to restore the budget cuts.
Continue readingJanuary 18, 2012
As a nursing home caregiver, I was deeply saddened when I learned of this heartbreaking death, which could have been prevented. This was a tragic end to the life of an elderly woman whose care was in the hands of others. These are the types of accidents that can take place when patient loads are too high and caregivers are pulled in too many directions at once.
Last year, staffing levels were cut and, as a result, the health and safety of nursing home residents are at risk. We must restore staffing levels. Our elders deserve to be protected from harm and to live their lives out with dignity.
Jean Berg, CNA, Hudson
Original Letter Available Here:
“A minute to me is when you see the patient come in, get better and go home, and it makes the family happy. That’s a minute to me.”
– Bernice Gilmore, Housekeeper, Arch Plaza
“A minute to me, means giving my surgical patient the dignity of using a bed pan as opposed to using a mat on the bed because I can’t get to her in time.”
– Patricia Diaz, RN, University Hospital
“A minute can mean the difference between life and death in a cardiac unit. In a stroke unit, it can mean the difference between a brain and brain damage. A minute can also mean the difference in that patient being in bed or being on the floor.”
– Leora Stirrat, Unit Secretary, Blake Medical Center