A new study published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society, titled “Patients With Dementia Undergoing High-Risk Inpatient Surgery Have Poor Outcomes,” reveals troubling outcomes for older adults living with dementia who undergo high-risk inpatient surgery. For families with loved ones in nursing homes or long-term care facilities, these findings underscore the importance of informed decision-making and vigilant advocacy.
The Study at a Glance
Researchers reviewed data from nearly 20 million Medicare beneficiaries aged 66 and older who underwent high-risk inpatient surgery between 2017 and 2018. Of these, more than 124,000 patients had dementia.
The results are stark:
- Mortality Risk: Within 90 days of surgery, 22.8% of patients with dementia died, compared to 9.3% of those without dementia.
- Major Complications: Over half of dementia patients (51.6%) experienced serious complications, compared to 38.5% of non-dementia patients.
- Discharge to Higher Care: 75% of dementia patients were discharged to a nursing home or higher level of care, versus 41% of other patients.
- Long Stays in Skilled Nursing Facilities: 3.7% of dementia patients had prolonged nursing home stays compared to 1.4% of patients without dementia.
- Feeding Tubes: Dementia patients were more likely to receive feeding tubes despite overall lower use of other intensive interventions.
Why This Matters for Nursing Home Residents
This research shows that dementia patients are more vulnerable to poor outcomes, longer recovery times, and loss of independence. As nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers, we have seen nursing home residents who live with dementia and the serious decisions their families must make about surgery following events like hip fractures or cardiac complications.
Families must weigh whether surgery truly benefits their loved one, or whether it exposes them to unnecessary suffering, complications, or prolonged institutionalization.
Nursing Home Responsibilities
Nursing homes and assisted living facilities play a crucial role in this process. They are responsible for:
- Communicating clearly with families about risks and likely outcomes.
- Implementing care plans that prioritize safety, dignity, and quality of life.
- Preventing avoidable injuries (such as falls and fractures) that often lead to emergency surgeries in the first place.
When facilities fail in these responsibilities – whether by neglecting fall prevention, ignoring care needs, or pushing families toward uninformed decisions – they put vulnerable residents at even greater risk.
A Call for Accountability
“Families deserve honesty when making life-altering medical decisions for their loved ones with dementia,” said Donna M. MacKenzie, President of Olsman MacKenzie Peacock. “Too often, nursing homes and hospitals fail to communicate the true risks or prevent the injuries that lead to high-risk surgeries in the first place. Our firm is committed to holding facilities accountable and ensuring that older adults receive the safe, dignified care they deserve.”
Protecting Your Loved One
If your loved one with dementia suffered harm following a preventable fall, surgery, or neglect in a nursing home, you have the right to seek answers. Families should not be left without information or accountability.
As nursing home neglect lawyers, we have decades of experience holding nursing homes and long-term care facilities accountable for the harm they cause. We believe that older adults, especially those with dementia, deserve compassionate, safe, and dignified care.
📞 Call us today at 1-800-366-8653 to speak with an experienced nursing home neglect attorney.