Recently in Abuse Prevention Category

SafetyNet by LoJack helps caretakers of people with Alzheimer's, Down syndrome, and other diseases, prevent people from walking away from their caregivers.

LoJack says that it provides government agencies with specialized receivers and antennas that can be activated to locate a missing person wearing the company's ankle or wrist bracelet.

By combining Project Lifesaver's experience in electronic search and rescue, training, procedures and impressive success rate, and LoJack's more than two decades of recovery expertise and success attributed to its direct integration with law enforcement, LoJack SafetyNet/Project Lifesaver is the most effective solution for rescuing people at risk who wander.

LOJACK is also helping to sponsor Project Lifesaver International, a charity program that uses the company's technology to find lost elderly folks.

SOURCE: LoJack® SafetyNet

The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services conduct Quality Indicator Surveys of nursing homes.  The same quality factors would be good for families to know about...and ask about before admitting their family member to the facility. 

Here are some of the factors they look for:

• Familiarity of the nursing and licensed staff with individual resident/patient care requirements
• Updated "Care Item" lists
• Diligence with Weight monitoring -- for 30, 60, 90 and 180 days.
• Weekly Weightings.  And alert dietary and the doctor of gains or losses of 3 pounds or more.
• Monitor room Trays.  Weight loss prevention is closely connected to food.  Is the food appealing and easy to chew...are their oral hygiene problems?
• Billing Logs.  Check on "demand billing" and Medicare Denials.  Incomplete forms and information can reduce quality of care available to the patient.
• Audit Medicare Denials.  Check Medicare forms for completeness and professionalism
• Audit the Dining Experience.  Watch the entire dining experience:  room temperatures, lighting, staff  communication, food handling and variety of food choices.  Watch clean up and watch infection control practices.
• Resident Census.  How many residents are away for home visits, or doctors appointments or in the hospital?  Check the list of those admitted and discharged over the last 30 days for trends.
• Specialized Care List.  Check lists of residents who receive ventilators, dialysis, hospice or end of life services.  Compare trends in a number of prospective nursing homes to understand trends and quality of care connectons.

These tips are based on tips provided to nursing home staff to help them cope with Medicare and Medicaid Services inspections.  Some of this information will not be available to individuals, but knowing which care standards are audited can provide you with good questions to ask, and how to observe quality of care before you make important care decisions.

REFERENCE: Ecumen Consulting Services (www.ecumen.org), provides long term care consulting, training, management, development and repositioning services for nursing homes, assisted living, Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) and home care and community-based services.

Types of elder abuse referrals include physical, sexual or financial abuse, isolation, neglect, or self-neglect.

It's difficult to look ahead an even imagine that people will mistreat us when we are vulnerable, but it happens, and far too often.  The fast-paced world isn't geared for slower movement, slower thinking or the frustration that builds up in some seniors.

There are ways to prevent abuse.  And it takes the caring eye, heart and hands of friends and loved ones to keep this kind of environment from happening around us.

Most states and local governments have resources for reporting problems.

Mandated by the State of California, in Los Angeles County,  Adult Protective Services (APS) is a 24-hour service program designed to investigate all reported at-risk situations, without regard to income, involving the elderly 65 or older and dependent adults (18-64 who are physically or mentally impaired).

Regardless of personal and family circumstances, there may be a situation in life that requires the services of Adult Protective Services to address life's challenges. It may be as simple as providing guidance to a stressed spouse who is no longer able to care for a terminally ill loved one, or as complicated as intervening in the life of a mentally incompetent senior who is being financially robbed by supposedly trusted caretakers.

The first rung of resources is with your local aging agencies.  Additional resources for learning about options or finding help (nationally) include:

• http://www.ioaging.org/ - Institute on Aging.
• http://www.apsnetwork.org/ - National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA).
• http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/ncearoot/Main_Site/index.aspx - National Center on Elder Abuse-Administration on Aging.
• ACF: Administration for Children & Families; http://www.acf.hhs.gov/; The ACF, within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is responsible for federal programs that promote the economic and social well-being of families, children, individuals, and communities.
• ADCRC: The Alzheimer's Day Care Resource Center program's primary purpose is to provide quality daycare for persons with dementia, while giving respite to their caregivers.
• Administration on Aging; http://www.aoa.gov; The Administration on Aging funds the largest U.S. community nutrition program for older persons, and works closely with its network of state and area agencies on aging, tribal organizations and service providers to provide adequate nutrition for the elderly. In addition to Nutrition information you will find information on Alzheimer's; Senior Medicare Patrols; the Eldercare Locator. Information that can be found on the AoA website:
• Grants; http://www.grants.gov/; Grant information.
• Statistics on Older Americans; http://www.aoa.gov/prof/Statistics/statistics.asp.
• Aging Network Resource; http://www.aoa.gov/prof/agingnet/agingnet.asp.
• About the Older Americans Act; http://www.aoa.gov/about/legbudg/oaa/legbudg_oaa.asp;