Articles Posted in Nursing Home Abuse

Nursing home abuse is on the rise in Georgia. As AJC.com reports, the Georgia Counsel on Aging indicates that there has been a 65 percent increase in reported nursing home abuse between 2008 and 2012. The problem is likely to only grow worse as the population ages. By 2050, as many as 20 percent of the total U.S. population will be 65 and up. Many of these seniors are going to be cared for by low-paid and untrained workers in nursing home facilities that are overcrowded and understaffed.

Lawmakers in Georgia are trying to address the problem and provide more protections for seniors in nursing home facilities. Northwest Georgia News reported on GA House Bill 72, which is designed to tighten elder abuse laws, close loopholes in existing regulation, and boost the tools that law enforcement officers have to fight elder abuse crimes. If this bill passes, it could make a significant difference in how patients are treated and in what happens when nursing homes fail in their duties.

Nursing home residents need to be aware that facilities can be held civilly, as well as criminally responsible when abuse occurs. Victims of abuse should consult with an Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyer for help pursuing a claim for compensation if they suffer harm.

Recently, Washington Post reported on the death of an 88-year-old woman while she was supposed to be receiving care in a nursing facility. The woman had undergone a hip replacement procedure and was discharged from the hospital. Her daughter referred to a list that the hospital had provided to select a nursing home for the woman to go to after discharge. The home that was chosen by the daughter had an affiliation with the hospital, which the family had been happy with for providing good care.

Unfortunately, while the hospital may have provided acceptable care, the nursing care facility was definitely not a good, caring location for the patient to recover. The hospital, while it provided a list of care facilities that featured this particular home, did not include details on the nursing home. Among the details that the hospital failed to give to the patient and her daughter: the fact the home had repeated citations for violations and the fact the home had only a one-star rating from Medicare.

Unfortunately, situations like this are not isolated incidents. Patients are routinely discharged from hospitals into nursing homes or rehab centers that hospitals recommend€¦ and sometimes those “recommendedfacilities can be dangerous. If an injury or illness happens because a patient receives substandard care in a nursing home, the victim or his family should consult with an Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyer for help.

Nursing home residents are entitled to receive care so their basic needs are met and they are also entitled to be treated with dignity and respect. Unfortunately, a ProPublica article published last December 2015 revealed that too often residents of nursing homes and assisted living facilities are not being treated with even a modicum of the respect that they deserve. The article revealed that staff members at many nursing homes and assisted living facilities were sharing photographs and videos of senior residents without their permission and in compromising positions. The photos, some of which included residents in partial stages of undress, were placed on Snapchat and on other social media websites for purposes of mocking the seniors.

This type of abuse is unacceptable, as are all types of abuse of the elderly. When staff members engage in this behavior, the nursing home that employs them should be held accountable in a civil lawsuit. An Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyer can provide assistance to victims of elder abuse and their families in exploring all legal options for recovering monetary damages for inappropriate treatment of seniors in nursing facilities. Efforts also need to be made to prevent and punish this type of abusive behavior when it occurs. Multiple U.S. senators have now taken up the cause, as examples of abuse cases continue to mount.

Senators Urge Action to Prevent Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse

During the holiday season, many people visit nursing homes. You may go to a nursing care facility to see friends or family members, or as a volunteer to bring holiday cheer. When visiting a nursing home facility, it is imperative to be on the lookout for signs of any problems that could indicate a vulnerable senior is being abused.

According to WIAT, nursing home abuse is extremely common. One survey of 2,000 residents of nursing home facilities revealed 44 percent said they had personally been the victims of abuse and 95 percent had witnessed someone else being either abused or neglected. Too many seniors are not able to speak up for themselves to put a stop to abuse, and they need someone who can help them to file appropriate reports and file civil lawsuits to get compensation for harm they endure. An elder abuse lawyer can help those who are harmed by abuse, so speak up and get in touch with an attorney if you believe someone in your life has been harmed by poor treatment at a nursing home.

Signs of Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse to Watch For

Atlanta nursing homes should be sued whenever the facilities fail their patients through abuse or neglect. Some patients and family members, however, are finding out they are unable to file a claim in civil court even when the actions of nursing homes cause injuries or fatalities. Not only are these patients and family members discovering they are forced to submit claims to binding arbitration instead but, in many cases, they are also learning they have to pay a portion of the fees for the arbitrator’s time.

The federal government recognizes this is a serious problem, depriving patients and their loved ones of justice. The government is considering new regulations to ensure family members who admit patients to nursing home facilities are actually informed of the rights they could be giving up and are protected from being required to give up those rights as a condition of admission. Even as these new regulations are considered, however, 15 attorneys general, 34 U.S. Senators, and more than 50 consumer protection groups are encouraging the government to entirely ban arbitration clauses in nursing home admission agreements.

Patients who are injured or who lose their lives due to neglect or abuse deserve to be fully compensated for damages and losses. Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyers can provide invaluable assistance to victims and their loved ones. Whether your case goes to arbitration or to court, or settles before a trial, we can help you to make your claim and maximize the compensation available to you.

Nursing homes are required by federal law to report any and all allegations of neglect or abuse that are made by residents or family members. Unfortunately, many nursing homes are not living up to their reporting obligations. This makes it difficult for the government to enforce rules designed to ensure patient safety. When a nursing home fails to report possible abuse or neglect, family members and seniors looking for a residential care environment may also be deprived of information they need to make an informed choice.

Every credible accusation of potential abuse and neglect should be investigated. Victims who need help understanding their rights and obtaining compensation for abuse should consult with an Atlanta nursing home abuse lawyer for assistance with their case. In many situations, having an attorney is the only way to get justice and to ensure that the negligent nursing home does not do more harm to other vulnerable seniors.

Atlanta Nursing Home Abuse May Be Underreported

Researchers from the University of South Carolina have published an in-depth report about how better training of certified nurses assistants (CNAs) could make a significant impact on reducing nursing home abuse and neglect. CNAs provide the vast majority of daily care that seniors living in residential care settings receive. CNAs provide assistance with eating, bathing, dressing, using the bathroom, and doing other routine daily tasks. Despite the important role CNAs play in a senior’s life, they are often paid very little, have few career opportunities for advancement, and have minimal training. Most have only a high-school diploma and have completed approximately 75-hours of additional training required for certification.

When a CNA is neglectful or abusive to a senior in a nursing facility, the victim of the abuse or his or her family members may take legal action against the nursing home employing the nursing assistant. An Atlanta nursing home neglect lawyer can provide assistance in pursuing a damage claim. Nursing homes can be held responsible for negligent actions of their workers, so it is in the best interest of residential care facilities to ensure CNAs receive adequate training.

Proper CNA Training Can Reduce Risks of Atlanta Nursing Home Neglect

If you are visiting a loved one or a friend in a nursing home and you notice that your relative or other seniors at the facility seem to be suffering from bedsores, this should make you concerned. While seniors who are bedridden or who are confined to a wheelchair are vulnerable to the development of bedsores, preventing these pressure ulcers is often possible with proper care. When bedsores are prevalent, severe, or infected, this is a major red flag suggesting that the nursing home staff may not be doing their job.

When you suspect Atlanta nursing home neglect for any reason, you need to get help. You should consider speaking with a nursing home neglect and abuse lawyer to understand what options you may have. The Division of Aging Services in Georgia also takes reports and may conduct an investigation if there is reason to believe a nursing home is failing its patients. Nursing home neglect can have devastating consequences for older individuals and you could protect the elderly, prevent a tragedy, and help your loved one to obtain compensation by coming forward.

Why Do Bedsores Indicate Possible Atlanta Nursing Home Neglect?