Many Maryland families will one day make the decision to place a loved one into a nursing home, if they have not already. As the population ages, nursing homes are becoming more and more necessary for individuals who can no longer care for themselves and need assistance in their daily…
Maryland nursing homes must meet certain standards under state and federal regulations. They must follow state laws and regulations applicable to nursing homes. In addition, facilities that accept Medicare and Medicaid patients are also required to meet federal nursing home standards. Federal and state regulators ensure compliance by conducting surveys,…
Arbitration is a process in which the parties agree to have a private arbitrator decide the case instead of having the case decided by a court. Although arbitration has some advantages, it can put Maryland nursing home residents at a great disadvantage in many instances. For residents that agree to…
When Maryland families move a loved one into a Maryland nursing home, they are entrusting the home and the staff to take care of their loved one, to keep them safe, healthy, and comfortable. Tragically, however, nursing home neglect is a significant problem in nursing homes across the country, and…
The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recently revised its COVID-19 guidelines to state that the coronavirus can be spread through aerosols, raising questions about the practices of Maryland nursing homes. It was previously known that the virus could be spread through respiratory droplets, such as when an infected person coughs,…
It’s no secret that the COVID-19 pandemic has had an especially large impact on nursing homes, where tens of thousands of residents and staff members have gotten sick and even died. Because nursing homes combine communal living and vulnerable individuals, and because they often have high rates of abuse and…
Nursing homes continue to be hit hard by the coronavirus. Across the U.S., over 40 percent of deaths in the country are linked to nursing homes. In Maryland nursing homes, the numbers are even higher. As of September 25, there have been 2,146 deaths across the state in nursing homes,…
When someone is searching for a Maryland nursing home to place a loved one, it’s likely that a facility’s status as for-profit or non-profit is not high on the list of priorities. Typically, the difficult decision of where to place a loved one who needs part- or full-time care is…
Arbitration agreements are often used as a tool against nursing home residents and their families to block litigation in court. There are several disadvantages to arbitration, but there are advantages as well, and some individuals with Maryland nursing home cases may opt for arbitration. Some of the advantages are that…
Generally, an arbitration agreement, like any other contract, can be enforced against the parties to the agreement. Yet, Maryland nursing home admission agreements (which may include arbitration agreements) are sometimes signed by someone other than the resident. This raises the question of whether the agreement can be enforced against the…