Two Maryland Nursing Home Residents Positive for Legionella
By injuheis on September 15, 2010
The Associated Press has reported that two Frederick County assisted living facility residents have tested positive for legionella.
Legionella is a bacteria known to cause Legionnaires Disease. Legionnaires attacks the respiratory system and can cause pneumonia, which can be fatal.
The Frederick County Health Department has stated that the infected residents live at the Tranquility Assisted Living Center in Fredericktowne, Maryland. The Center has not been identified as of yet as the source of the bacteria.
The two infected residents were treated at Frederick Memorial Hospital and released. One of the victims has returned to the facility.
Since Legionnaires can only be contracted by inhaling contaminated water vapors, the facility is requiring residents to drink bottled water and has brought in portable showers. There have been water restrictions at Tranquility since September 2nd.
Individuals most vulnerable to the disease include the elderly, people with compromised immune system and smokers.
I will keep you updated as I learn more information.
Threats of Legionnaire’s Disease at NY Nursing Home Decline
By injuheis on April 26, 2010
Placing a loved one in a nursing home is often one of the most difficult decisions for a family to make, and doing so should not be taken lightly. It is important that family members do their research, visit the facility, meet employees, and give a specific nursing home a lot of thought before actually placing their loved one there. Another factor that many families may consider investigating before putting their loved one in a nursing home is researching any previous history of Legionella bacteria contaminating a facility’s water supply.
A recent Times Herald-Record article reports that after a December 2009 incident in which two elderly residents of the Golden Hill nursing home in New York contracted Legionnaires Disease, a third round of water tests have come back negative for Legionella bacteria. However, as a precaution, the facility has yet to remove its restrictions on water-use in, disallowing nursing home residents from drinking the water, taking a bath, or showering.
According to the news story, results from a fourth test for the bacteria will be returned next week. Such careful attention is indeed necessary, especially considering that one woman at the facility diagnosed with Legionnaires Disease died, although from a different illness. To help make the facility’s pipes once again safe to use, the facility will also be receiving a copper-silver ionization system to clean their water.
Incidents of Legionnaires Disease at nursing home facilities, schools, hospitals, and other establishments happen far too often throughout the United States and in Maryland. Property owners or facility managers may be held liable for failing to warn individuals visiting or living on a premises of any type of potential risk, whether that risk is posed by Legionnaires Disease or some other kind of illness. If you or someone you care about has contracting Legionnaires Disease on another person’s premises, get in touch with Steven H. Heisler, “The Injury Lawyer,” for a free evaluation of your case. As a skilled Legionnaires Disease attorney, Steven H. Heisler will fight to ensure that your rights are upheld in a court of law. To learn more about what can be done regarding your potential Legionnaire’s Disease case, please call 877-228-4878 today.
Source:http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20100402/NEWS/4020330/-1/SITEMAP