News for Milwaukee Nursing Home Abuse Victims
Many Wisconsin nursing homes need to provide better oral care
On behalf of Milwaukee personal injury attorney Ric Domnitz of Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C. posted in Nursing Home Abuse on Wednesday, September 4, 2013.
In 2004 researchers found a connection between hospital-acquired pneumonia among older people and oral bacteria. Four years later, a systematic review found that one out of 10 pneumonia deaths could be prevented if the teeth and mouths of nursing home residents were better taken care of. However, even though the reason for the concern has been well documented, many nursing homes are still overlooking the importance of providing adequate oral hygiene.
At this point, there are no national assessments on the oral health of patients in nursing homes. That being said, since 2011 a number of states have been evaluated using an Association of State and Territorial Dental Directors survey. Wisconsin is one of the states that have been evaluated, and the results were not too positive.
According to the study, out of the almost 1,100 nursing home residents that were checked, roughly 35 percent had substantial oral debris. Of those residents — who were surveyed from 24 different nursing homes in Wisconsin — 31 percent also had broken teeth with visible roots.
When talking about oral bacteria, aside from the link to pneumonia, keep in mind cavities, gum disease and broken teeth can also be painful for nursing home residents. At what point does lack of care make patients Milwaukee nursing home abuse victims?
Oral health is also not optional in nursing homes and it is even federally mandated for workers to brush the teeth of residents who cannot do it themselves. This has been a mandate since the Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1987.
In looking at why nursing homes are not making sure teeth are properly cleaned and cared for, sources point to the fact that teeth are often overlooked by staff that is busy with other daily care tasks, such as feeding residents or repositioning them to prevent bedsores.
In some cases, especially among those with dementia, the residents may also be resistant to oral care and even physically combative against those aides who try and brush their teeth.
Looking to the future, the hope is that more is done in order to provide better oral care for nursing home residents, including those with dementia. If not, in cases where it is believed neglect is the reason teeth are not getting cleaned, families in Wisconsin may have grounds to file a lawsuit.
Source: New York Times, “In Nursing Homes, an Epidemic of Poor Dental Hygiene,” Catherine Saint Louis, Aug. 4, 2013
If you or someone you love is the victim of nursing home abuse, contact a Milwaukee personal injury attorney with Domnitz & Domnitz, S.C.