More from the Hartford Courant - Understaffing

The Hartford Courant ran the second of a three-part series today (November 20th) on one of those multi-corporation, tiered nursing homes where the goal is to insulate from liability for harm that befalls the residents through neglect. According to the Courant, the minimum staffing requirements haven't changed in 25 years even though currant research shows serious understaffing in nursing home and shows that this can lead to disastrous results.

The topic this time is understaffing and how this leads to neglect of residents and serious harm or death.  Today, the Courant said:

"For four days in April, Bogardus and his close friend, Leona Brenner, tried to convince the staff of the Haven Health Center in South Windsor that he was dying. Bogardus, who had sought nursing-home care after complications from heart surgery, was coughing, struggling to breathe and couldn't walk the six steps from his bed to the bathroom, he and Brenner said.

Only after Brenner threatened to call 911 herself did the nursing staff finally summon an ambulance, the couple recounted. By the time the 69-year-old retired civil engineer arrived at St. Francis Hospital and Medical Center in Hartford, hospital records show, he was dehydrated and his kidneys were failing." More