nursing homes

Even with a mostly volunteer workforce, the approximately $300,000 annually the program gets from the state isn’t enough, advocates said.

A federal rule will require long-term care facilities to have a minimum number of nursing staff on hand at all times to take care of residents.

Treaka Young was elected last month to the Jefferson City City Council, but previously worked as an ombudsman for the state. A long-term care ombudsman is often a volunteer who helps families and individuals ensure their rights and needs are being respected and preserved in long-term care facilities, like nursing homes. Treaka spoke a little about an ombudsman’s role and how people can reach out to them for help.

A new Missouri inspection report highlights the chaos that ensued after St. Louis’ largest nursing home closed without warning last month, forcing more than 170 residents to be evacuated. Northview Village closed suddenly on Dec. 15 as the company that owned it struggled to meet payroll. The report from the Missouri Department of Health and Human Services released Wednesday spells out the financial trouble that prompted the closure. At the time, phone lines went down, prohibiting the 174 residents from communicating with relatives. Some began stealing from inside the nursing home, and nine people got stuck in an elevator. Two residents went missing, including a man with schizophrenia who wasn't found until three weeks later.

Missouri's nursing home regulation allows poor care, and sometimes abuse, to continue for years with few consequences.

The bills were unpaid, the phones shut off, trash piled up and eventually, food ran out.The problems at the Benchmark Healthcare nursing home in Festus…

The Missouri House has passed legislation that could provide an earmarked funding stream for state-run nursing homes for military veterans.The measure…