Poor Care & Corporate Nursing Homes
Posted by Kim on July 29th, 2007 / Print This Post
More evidence linking corporate owned nursing homes to poor care.
BROCKTON— Many of the area nursing homes that were ranked below average in a recent state survey are owned by the same national corporation, an Enterprise inquiry found.The survey from the state Division of Health Care Quality included 450 nursing homes in Massachusetts, including 33 locally. It asked family members of nursing home residents to rate their satisfaction with several factors, such as “resident’s needs met” and “personal care.”
Nineteen of the area’s nursing homes ranked above the state average rating, and 14 ranked below it.
Among the below-average homes, five of them are owned by a single national company — Kindred Healthcare Inc. of Louisville, Ky. Those homes are Blue Hills Alzheimer’s Care Center of Stoughton, Colony House Nursing & Rehab Center of Abington, Embassy House Skilled Nursing & Rehab Center of Brockton, Forestview Nursing & Rehab Center of Wareham, and Goddard Rehabilitation & Nursing Center of Stoughton.
All five of the homes earned a rating below the state average of 4.19, out of a possible high of 5.0. One of the company’s area nursing homes, Sachem Skilled Nursing & Rehab Center of East Bridgewater, ranked above the state average.
Kindred Healthcare, a Fortune 500 company that claims 600 facilities in 38 states, did not return a message seeking comment Monday.
Goddard Rehabilitation, which earned the lowest rating of any area nursing home, said in a statement that it is working to make needed improvements, including changing its administration.
“Resident care and safety is our number one concern,” the statement reads.
care and safety? After what profit margin?
August 1st, 2007 at 10:02 pm
Corporate LTC’s do not take anyone as an individual. Staff and patients become nothing more than a number. I am speaking from experience when I say large chains diminish the purpose the claim to have. Supplies are a problem because corporate is tight with money that goes to a facility. They do not readily allow money for things like supplies-you know, hold on to those funds to build intrest. Therefore you may go without supplies and in many days, staff. Unfortunatley, the residents are the ones who suffer in the long run. (Inconstistant nurses, falls due to lack of nurses, inadequate care due to lack of supplies.) Yes, business is business, and I can tell you right now, the guy in the blue suite who gets paid mega bucks, does not care about Mr. Joe not getting his evening pain meds, or his overworked staff. His checks keep rolling in while our residents saftey and health keep rolling out.
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:25 am
Very well said Nicole.
August 2nd, 2007 at 11:29 am
Kindred is right up there with Life Care Centers AFAIC.
August 6th, 2007 at 8:13 pm
IVE BEEN WORKING AT THIS NURSING HOME FOR 10YRS. KINDRED JUST BOUGHT THE PLACE ABOUT 1 YR AGO DOWN HILL FROM THERE I NEVER SAW IT THIS BAD BEFORE. FALLRIVER MA
August 7th, 2007 at 5:23 pm
You are right lisa, it has gotten really bad! No-one, like management in the nursing home seems to care, keep us working short! When we all walk out because we are so sick of working short, I would like to see what they would do..The state should be notified of the lack of everything. Fall River, MA: and not proud to work for KINDRED!!!!!
August 7th, 2007 at 6:48 pm
this kindred company don’t care they don’e care about anything except money. people always say that money isn’t everything well maybe kindred should see that, we don’t become cna’s because of money we do it because we care and when you work for a company that cares it makes it better but when you work for a company like kindred it just makes you sick all i can say now is that when they need a nursing home i hope that they get one just like kindred