Archive for June, 2009

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Nursing Home Oversight Programs Slashed by Budget Cuts

Tuesday, June 30th, 2009

According to a story found on Redding.com, a monitoring program responsible for overseeing the activities of hundreds of nursing home facilities in northern California is being forced to scale back operations after losing a sizable portion of its budget.

These budget cutting concessions may lead to more cases of nursing home neglect in California. The Long Term Care Ombudsman Program is one of the programs curtailed by the budget cuts. This program provides for walk-through tours of nursing homes and other elderly care facilities, and has helped investigate hundreds of cases of nursing home neglect and abuse. While the walk-through tours will continue, their number will be scaled back dramatically.

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Minivan Rollover Accident Injures Two near Palm Springs

Thursday, June 25th, 2009

The Desert Sun reports that two woman were injured in a Cathedral Springs car accident. According to news reports, the accident occurred when a Mazda minivan driven by one of the woman turned left in front of the path of an oncoming sedan. The sedan broadsided the minivan, causing the minivan to roll over.

When emergency responders arrived, they found the minivan balanced on its roof and the driver trapped inside. Emergency crews were able to free the driver. Both the driver of the minivan and the driver of the sedan suffered minor injuries in the crash.

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Ed McMahon Settles Medical Malpractice Suit

Tuesday, June 23rd, 2009

According to GantDaily.com, former television star Ed McMahon has reached a settlement in a medical malpractice suit against Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. McMahon filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against the hospital claiming that in 2007 the staff at Cedars-Sinai had misdiagnosed a neck fracture he suffered. McMahon’s suit sought damages for the misdiagnoses as well as two allegedly botched surgeries following the diagnoses.

The article further mentions that McMahon is pursuing a personal injury lawsuit against the owner of the mansion where McMahon suffered the neck injury. According to the story, McMahon’s attorneys are filing an action in Superior Court to ban any mention of his Cedar-Sinai settlement in the injury lawsuit.

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Elder Abuse More than Just Physical Abuse

Thursday, June 18th, 2009

In a recent fraud case from northern California, the alleged perpetrator of fraud apparently targeted elderly women with a securities loan investment scheme that cost victims an estimated $20 million. A May 7, 2009, bargaining agreement resulted in a no contest plea for Thomas Hastert, who will serve five years of a potential 32-year sentence. Sources cited in the AppealDemocrat.com story suggest that a charge of elder abuse would have been appropriate.

Contrary to common belief, elderly abuse is not limited to physical abuse. Although physical violence committed against the elderly is the most visible sign of abuse, other types of mistreatment can be just as damaging to the mental and financial health of senior citizens.

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DOD Selects Partners for Traumatic Brain Injury Study

Tuesday, June 16th, 2009

According to the Charleston Regional Business Journal, the University of California at San Diego is one of ten state partners selected by the United States Department of Defense (DOD) to study the effects of traumatic brain injury. The commission of the $1.5 million study by the DOD is to examine the types of traumatic brain injuries associated with combat, as well as post-traumatic stress disorders.

Although this study centers on traumatic head and brain injuries incurred by soldiers serving in Iraq and Afghanistan, certain aspects of the multi-state research effort may have implications for the treatment and prevention of traumatic brain injuries outside a warzone setting.

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