NURSING HOME NEGLECT - A Qualified Nursing Home Negligence Attorney Makes A Difference.

The abuse and neglect of elder loved ones at the hands of those entrusted to care for them can cause physical and emotional suffering for the victim and the extended family.

On April 22, 2009, a Los Angeles area nursing home was fined $100,000 by the California Department of Public Health for a December, 2008 fatality on its premises. A wheelchair bound resident caught on fire as he tried to light a cigarette in an unattended dining room. With no safety plan in place, the staff allegedly failed to use a fire blanket or fire extinguisher to douse the flames.

Millions of people, mostly seniors, reside in the approximately 17,000 nursing homes in the United States. True statistics for nursing home abuse and neglect is elusive, for many incidents go unreported. The National Center on Elder Abuse anticipates that at least one out of twenty nursing home residents suffer negligence or abuse. And a Center study further reports that a shocking 57% of nurses’ aides admit to having witnessed, or even participated in, negligent and abusive behavior. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control report that nursing home neglect was a factor in 14,000 deaths in a three-year period from 1999 to 2002.

Some of the most prevalent causes of neglect and abuse at nursing homes are:

• Understaffing 
• Unqualified, violent or poorly trained caregivers 
• Cost cutting measures 
• Isolation and deprivation for convenience

Not all signs of physical or mental abuse are easily recognizable, and continued observation and patient questioning is necessary. Some signs of a problem can include:

Physical abuse:

• unnecessary restraints 
• open wounds, bruising, welts, blisters or disfigurement 
• dehydration and overly dry skin 
• the patient’s complaint of a sexual act or of being slapped, shaken or pushed 
• unexplained fear

Mental anguish and verbal abuse:

• new or unusual behaviors 
• overly agitated or withdrawn 
• frightened or desperate 
• a lack of caring about themselves

Neglect:

• lack of personal hygiene or cleanliness in the environment 
• bed sores 
• untreated medical issues and infections 
• the patient reports isolation or unreasonable confinement 
• weight loss and other physical changes

Continued adverse nursing home events have created the need for attorneys who specialize in this field. An experienced, qualified nursing home lawyer can help protect loved ones by drafting pre-emptive legal directives, assisting family members in recognizing signs of neglect or abuse and by recovering compensation for losses or damages.

Federal laws protect nursing home residents’ rights, but those laws are not always well known or understood. A qualified attorney with experience in fighting for the rights of nursing home residents and their families can be valuable.

If you or your loved one suspects nursing home negligence or abuse, complete the form below and an attorney who understands this unique field will contact you to provide the support you deserve.

Keywords: Elder Abuse | Nursing Home Abuse | Nursing Home Attorney | Nursing Home Neglect