Sandra Banning's mother was the victim of one of the worst kinds of nursing home abuse there is: rape. Six years ago, police arrested Ivey Edwards, another person who lived at the Southwood Nursing Center in Jacksonville, for raping Ms. Banning. The general public doesn't realize that this is something that happens in these facilities.

What's worse is the fact that Edwards had 58 prior arrests. That's right, 58! How could he have possibly gotten a job at the facility?

I recently read a great article in thestar.com that talks about the quality of care in nursing homes. The author starts by telling us what we already know: most nursing homes provide very low standards of care. Just ask anyone who has ever been inside one.

One interesting point that the author brings up is the fact that many people believe more money will ail the problems of the nursing homes. They think that More money means a better staff and services, and everyone will live out a happier, more dignified life.

A mentally disabled man was allegedly assaulted by a staff member of a Newport News assisted living site. His sister is now suing the home, citing nursing home abuse and accusing it of negligence in hiring the worker in the first place.

A New Zealand rest home and its manager have been given cessation and closure orders by authorities after "overwhelming deficiencies" have been found. The orders mean that the rest home can no longer provide any sort of health services at any location.

The manager, Ms. Hooper, may no longer be involved in any sort of management of any health facility. She has been reported to the Nursing Council for investigation.

George Baker Jr. burned to death in his wheelchair on the patio of the CLC University nursing home in 2002. He was 54 years old.
Investigators found that Baker had been left alone on the patio to smoke cigarettes, even though he had a pressurized container of oxygen strapped to his chair.

When the tank exploded, Baker was consumed by fire before he could be rescued.

Many people don't know this, but many (if not most) nursing homes are run by large corporations. And these large corporations don't always have the best interests of the people in mind.

Many of these corporations that run nursing homes use arbitration to prevent judges and juries from evaluating cases. Oftentimes, patients and families will sign arbitration provisions that basically eliminate many of their rights.

Clifford Ozen has suffered from seizures and decreased mobility since nursing home staff found him in a pool of his own blood two years ago.

On July 28, 2006, his paid a visit to the facility where he stayed, and after she left Sharon Ozen received a call and was advised that her husband was being rushed to the hospital.

A nurses aid stated that Mr. Ozen was found on the floor with his head lying against the frame of the bedside table. Since that fateful day, Mr. Ozen has suffered from massive seizures and has been bedridden.

At the end of 2006, 85-year-old Priscilla Stovall was killed in her Clovis, California home. The person who killed her was Kelly Jones, the aide hired to help around the house. Jones was convicted of involuntary manslaughter after giving Ms. Stovall a lethal overdose of morphine and methadone.

The Tennessee General Assembly has passed the Long Term Care Community Choices Act this year. Senator Mark Norris said the bill will cut through some of the bureaucratic red tape and make it easier for seniors to qualify for professional care.

The bill will allow state funds to be used for in-home care, instead of giving all of that money to nursing homes. Senator Norris said he's hopeful the bill will incite other reforms, such as providing care to people who must provide financially for their children as well as their parents.

I found this article by a Yakima, Washington man which helps potential nursing home clients spot nursing home problems. What sort of problems can arise in nursing homes, you ask? Trust me, there are many. Here are just a few:

1. Poorly trained staff
2. Understaffed facilities
3. Poor management
4. Bad food
5. Poor resident morale
6. Medicine not kept in proper storage
7. Over-medicating (this is a big one)
8. No recreational activities
9. Nursing home abuse/neglect

The types of nursing home abuse include: