Lauren Ellerman

Sepsis is a term we hear frequently in nursing home cases. – Pressure Ulcer develops, infection sets in and resident is hospitilized for treatment of “sepsis.” – Resident stubs her toe, gangrene develops and she is hospitilized for treatment of gangrene and “sepsis.” – Resident is incontinent, gets a UTI…

A few weeks ago I reported on a survey that said depression leads to bone loss. Now, studies are showing that diabetes can lead to depression. The Archives of Internal Medicine published a study yesterday, reflecting that “Among well-functioning older adults, Diabetes is associated with increased risk of depressive symptoms.”…

Ok friends – I will admit that many believe my line of work is not in any way, a service to mankind. You know, plaintiff attorneys file so many frivolous lawsuits…Well today I stand proud knowing I have never and will never file a frivlous lawsuit – unlike the attorney…

Check out this article in yesterday’s Washington Post: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/10/AR2007061001148.html“WASHINGTON (Reuters) – New tests involving blood and brain scans can detect symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease, and brief appraisals of real-life functioning can predict who is likely to develop it, researchers saidSunday.The tests will be critical, experts told a meeting on Alzheimer’s…

I wonder if we will ever read a report like this one in SW Virginia – my guess is, we might someday. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/05/AR2007060502558.html?hpid=topnews“From an emergency department with faulty monitors, IV pumps and broken stretchers to an operating room running part time for lack of staff, patient care is increasingly limited…

My friends at the Washington Post must have had access to the whole study on elderly patients with dementia, and psychotropic drugs – their very detailed article can be found:http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/06/05/AR2007060500572.html

Anyone with experience knows that dementia is a sad and scary disease. Typically physicians treat symptoms of dementia with antipsychotic medications to reduce some of the manifestations of the disease, like aggressiveness etc.A recent study, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine this month, followed older adults with dementia between…

Health Management Associates, Naples, Fla., has agreed to sell 133-bed Mountain View Regional Medical Center, Norton, Va., and 50-bed Lee Regional Medical Center, Pennington Gap, Va., to Wellmont Health System, of Kingsport, Tenn.Although the terms were not disclosed, I imagine there is a pretty big pricetag.Read more – modernhealthcare.com.The purpose?…

Want to check on a certain nursing home? See how they have been doing?You can go to medicare’s website to look for citations – www.medicare.govYou can make a Freedom of Information Act request to your local state health authority (in Va. call 1-800-955-1819) and ask for the most recent state…