What is the Care Algorithm and How Does It Impact Elder Care?

Long-term care facilities often have what I call a care algorithm. They staff a certain way, they train a certain way, they have certain types of license and non-licensed personnel. No matter what, if a resident fits the algorithm, then usually things are pretty good. The person gets taken care of. When I see neglect happening, it’s usually when the resident starts to decline in their health and they no longer fit the care algorithm of that particular facility. If the facility would have the awareness that we can no longer meet this person’s needs, now it’s unsafe for them to be here and remove them from the facility, that would be good. But in the cases that we get, unfortunately, that’s not done, and that’s when you see signs and symptoms of neglect, weight loss, dehydration, malnutrition, bed sores, falls with fractures, falls with subdual human tomas, poor hygiene, and things of that nature.