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Sadly, nursing home abuse and neglect seems to be so common – I hear about it all the time, especially now that my mom was the victim of nursing home neglect and nearly died. Why are neglect and abuse so widespread in the nursing home setting?
Abuse and neglect in a nursing home setting is, unfortunately, all too common. Many incidents of negligent care of nursing home residents have resulted in the death of a resident.
Even though nursing homes are legally required to provide sufficient care to maintain the well-being of their residents, they seem to be failing more and more each year. Why? Several factors are thought to contribute to the abuse or neglect of nursing home residents, including:
• Inadequately trained staff
• Inadequate numbers of staff
• Staff improperly screened for criminal histories
• The isolation of residents
• The reluctance of residents to report abuse out of embarrassment or fear
Under-qualified, insufficiently trained, and overworked staff can result in abuse and neglect. Some of the major reasons for the lack of resources to properly staff facilities and train employees are thought to be increasing problems with high insurance premiums for nursing homeowners and lower Medicare reimbursements for provided services. Unfortunately, many nursing home residents are unable to properly communicate instances of abuse or neglect because of their physical or mental state, which makes it all the more important to immediately investigate and report suspected instances of abuse or neglect. In egregious cases, it might be best to call the police immediately to file a report.
If you suspect nursing home abuse or neglect, it is crucial to document all suspected instances of abusive or neglectful behavior, investigate the practices of the nursing home further, and reporting all issues to the proper authority (federal or state agencies, as well as the local police in situations threatening immediate injury to residents). An experienced nursing home attorney can help you find the resources you need for investigating and reporting instances of abuse and neglect, as well as inform you of your legal rights and the residents’ legal rights to bring a lawsuit related to the abuse and/or neglect. |
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