Nursing homes serving minorities offering less care than those housing whites

[KamaAina]

http://www.publicintegrity.org/2014/11/17/16275/nursing-homes-serving-minorities-offering-less-care-those-housing-whites

Although homes with residents of all racial groups had lower registered nurse staffing levels listed in the cost reports, the discrepancy was particularly pronounced in nursing homes where the majority of residents were either black or Latino. And the overall gap in this type of care for minorities was even more dramatic.

Hundreds of majority-black homes throughout the country were listed in Nursing Home Compare as providing a little more than a half-hour of registered nurse care per day. But the average daily level of registered nurse care at those facilities calculated through the Medicare cost reports was just about 20 minutes a day. Medicare cost data was not available for Alden Wentworth. The amount of registered nurse care is widely considered an important measure of quality care.

This staffing gap was even more stark in nursing homes where Latinos composed more than half of the residents.

“Majority-white” facilities (i.e., where a majority of residents were non-Latino whites) had daily average registered nurse staffing levels that were about 60 percent higher than majority-Latino nursing homes and about 34 percent higher than black facilities, the Center found in its analysis of the Medicare cost reports.

Welcome to post-racial America!

[polly7]

1. I was, and worked as a SCA up here for quite a while,

and I can only say that I hope the predominantly minority homes had the same number of aides as 'white' homes did. I say that, because the RN's (who were absolutely great at their jobs and wonderful people) did not spend any more time with the residents than it took to distribute meds and the very few other things we weren't allowed to. Then, working in EMS and the home at the same time (our health district doesn't pay paramedics full-time in smaller locations as there isn't always a full day's work with the ambulance, so work at the home during the day is common (unless called out). 99% of resident care was done by us, and as EMS workers we took over even more of the RN's chores, ie. vitals, wound dressing, pt. assessment, etc. They spent a lot of time making sure meds were stocked, accurate, overseeing our records, dealing with physicians and families, making judgement calls on deteriorating conditions, making sure residents were cared for well by designating duties accordingly.

But, one RN per shift is what we had, and many aides .... who, (and I mean no disrespect to RN's at all for the above reasons) pretty much make sure every resident is well taken care of. I just wanted to make the point that less RN's might not have the impact that the lack of staffing, period, talked about in the article would have - which is just unforgivable. Of course, offering less care of any kind to nursing homes serving minorities is truly sickening .... I imagine money does play the biggest part in it. Money trumps all.

[KamaAina]

2. This is why we believe nursing homes should only exist as a last resort

especially for people under 65 who have disabilities, who comprise around one-fourth of all U.S. nursing home residents!

http://www.adapt.org

[polly7]

3. I meant no disprespect, KamaAina ...

I just can't get over the difference in our systems. Here, nursing homes are of course sad places to have to go to, as the residents whole lives are changed, but the ones I've worked in have really had good people with admins and rn's, aides that are truly dedicated to providing the best care possible. Each district is assessed often by the provincial gov't as to further necessary funding, unacceptable conditions, etc. and many older people love being there, especially the more independent they are. We have very few under 65, mostly for respite weekends or even months, so I can see how having to live in one and depend on whoever is funding it for decent care, especially when racism or bigotry of any kind is involved would be a horrible experience for anyone younger.

[KamaAina]

4. Oh. I didn't realse that by "up here" you meant Canada.

That changes everything, of course. -)

[dilby]

5. Interesting, who owns the Nursing Homes?

I am not really sure how this stuff works, is it the same company that owns white nursing homes and black nursing homes or are they different companies?

[KamaAina]

6. Funny you should ask that

the Sacramento Bee just did a three-part series on the tangled web that is nursing home ownership, at least in California.

http://media.sacbee.com/static/sinclair/Nursing1c/index.html

http://media.sacbee.com/static/sinclair/Nursing2/index.html

http://www.sacbee.com/news/investigations/nursing-homes/article3657510.html

One nursing home chain operating in California racked up abuse complaints last year at a pace seven times the statewide rate.

A large competitor placed one in every 15 of its long-term residents in restraints.

Still another corporate giant whose nursing homes dominate the Sacramento region experienced high nursing staff turnover at 90 percent of its facilities.

If you’re a consumer anguishing over the placement of a loved one needing full-time nursing, how would you know this?