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It is a sad and tragic fact that many of the elderly people in our society are abused and mistreated at the time when they are most vulnerable. Reports of serious physical, sexual and verbal abuse have been on the rise among nursing homes throughout our nation, and it is important that we stand up for the rights of our elderly loved ones. We place a great deal of trust and responsibility in the hands of caregivers when we choose to place our elderly loved ones in nursing homes, and we want them to live in a clean and safe environment free from abuse or neglect. This is the stance that our Coral Gables personal injury attorney takes, so we encourage you to contact our office today if you suspect nursing home abuse or negligence of any kind.
According to the National Center on Elder Abuse, over 30% of all nursing homes in the United States are guilty of some type of resident abuse. One of the main causes of elder abuse and neglect is understaffed or poorly staffed nursing homes. Understaffing a nursing home puts a patient at risk because the job of looking after an elderly person's health and wellbeing cannot be done adequately. Despite an employee's best intentions, if he or she does not have enough time provide the necessary care, the elderly person will suffer harm.
A report by the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care found that without at least 2.8 hours of nurse aide care and 1.3 hours of licensed nurse care and .75 hours by RNs, residents of nursing homes are much more likely to experience poor outcomes. Many states do not require this amount of time to be spent with each resident, but there are also many nursing homes that are well below even their state's required amounts. With the proper amount of staff on hand, it has been proven that elderly patients are linked to fewer urinary tract infections, fewer pressure ulcers, and catheterized patients, less antibiotic use, reduced likelihood of death, and improved patient outcomes overall. On the other hand, understaffed homes are linked to poor skin care, malnutrition, dehydration, low participation in activities.
Your elderly loved ones deserve safety, dignity and proper care. It can be difficult to detect when nursing home abuse is taking place, and a majority of these cases go unreported by elderly victims because they are too frightened or incapacitated to report the incident. That is why it is especially important for you to be on the lookout for signs of elder abuse whenever you visit your loved one.
Here at Mesa Law Firm, we have helped individuals and families seek justice for cases of elder abuse and we know how to protect their wellbeing and future health.
Some of the types of elder abuse that may be taking place include, but are not limited to, the following:
Neglect: This is one of the most subtle types of abuse and can be extremely difficult to detect. Neglect commonly happens because nursing homes are understaffed, and can result in untreated bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration, inadequate sanitation and hygiene, and preventable accidents. When neglect goes on for a period of time, the results can be very debilitating to the elderly victims and even fatal at times.
Physical Abuse: Physical abuse takes place in nursing homes more than we would like to think. Some abuse violations are serious enough to cause actual harm to residents or to place residents in immediate jeopardy of death or serious injury. Some reports of physical abuse have documented instances where members of the nursing home's staff punched, slapped, kicked, or choked residents. In fact, reports of nursing home violations for violence have appeared to be on the rise throughout our country every year since 1996.
Sexual Abuse: Elderly people are often easy prey for sexual offenders because they are weak and defenseless against their caregivers. Nursing home residents are often unable to protect themselves and speak up for their rights, and sometimes they are the victims of sexual abuse. This type of abuse includes any form of non-consensual sexual contact, such as inappropriate touching, rape, sexually-explicit photographing and more.
In addition to these, some elderly residents are the victims of financial abuse or psychological abuse. If you suspect any type of abuse, it is vital that you contact a legal professional immediately.
Are you looking for an attorney for your nursing home abuse in Coral Gables? When you call the Mesa Law Firm about your suspicions of nursing home abuse, you will receive the caring support and dedicated legal representation that you need.
Our personal injury firm will immediately take action to investigate your suspicions and protect your loved one from additional harm or injury. Call today!