We turn to nursing homes when our loved ones need more constant or aggressive healthcare. It’s horrifying to think, then, that the nursing home might be the place they contract a potentially life-threatening infection. And yet a startling new study finds that more than a quarter of U.S. nursing homes harbor MRSA.
To make matters worse, health care providers are the ones spreading it. According to the study, contaminated gloves worn by healthcare professionals are the leading method of MRSA transmission in nursing homes. Experts speculate that health care providers simply aren’t aware of the danger.
Make no mistake, though. MRSA is serious business. The bacteria involved in MRSA infections, particularly those found among the elderly, are notoriously resistant to antibiotics. If not effectively treated, the bacteria may eventually burrow into the body, infecting the heart, lungs, blood, bones, and more. Those infections can then prove deadly.
Contaminated gowns have been problematic in nursing homes too, so those in direct contact with residents aren’t squarely to blame. Nevertheless, residents are entitled to live in a safe and MRSA-free environment. While occasional infections may be unavoidable, the eye-popping rate of MRSA in our country’s nursing homes is unacceptably high.
As Middlesex County elder law attorneys, part of what we do here at O’Connell Law LLC is help our clients plan for nursing home care that meets their needs. Nursing homes with lower rates of airborne and bacterial infections may be more costly, but proactive planning can take those added costs into account. In many cases, they may be worth it.
We look forward to the day that nursing homes are able to reign in the rate of residential infections. In the meantime, let us help you make the best and healthiest choices for your family. Call us today to learn more about how we can help.
