ElderWeb

One in seven nursing homes in Colorado's Second Congressional District had violations severe enough to harm residents or put them at risk of death or serious injury, according to a report released by Congressman Mark Udall (D-CO). Of the area's 27 nursing homes, 70% of them violated some federal standard during recent inspections. According to the report, these violations include improper treatment of bedsores, failure to provide sanitary living conditions, improper use of restraints, administering wrong medications or failure to provide medications to residents and inadequate staffing.

"Frankly, I was shocked and disturbed by the findings in this report. Nursing home residents have a right to quality and compassionate care. Regrettably, many seniors are not receiving the care that they and their families expect and that federal law requires," Udall said at a press conference in Northglenn where he released the 21-page report.

Udall asked the minority staff of the Committee on Government Reform to investigate the conditions in nursing homes in the Second District, which includes all of Boulder, Clear Creek and Gilpin Counties and northern Jefferson and western Adams Counties. The staff reviewed reports by state inspectors, who check nursing homes that receive Medicare or Medicaid funding to see if they comply with federal standards for health, safety and treatment of patients. These inspections were conducted from February 1999 to February 2000, the most recent information available for each of the 27 nursing homes in the area.

To address the situation, Udall announced that he would cosponsor legislation to protect seniors in nursing home care. H.R. 4949, The Nursing Home Quality Protection Act, would impose tougher sanctions, increase funding and increase public disclosure of nursing home conditions.

HR 4949 is now sitting in committee, and it looks like it is unlikely to pass before Congress recesses later this month.