Nursing Home Abuse
In California alone, there are more than 110,000 people living in long-term care facilities. Unfortunately, many of these residents face a serious risk of neglect and abuse. In 2005, the California Healthcare Foundation (CHF) conducted a study that showed that violations of federal and state nursing home standards increased between the years 2001 and 2004, but the number of fines and citations went down.
If you suspect that a beloved member of your family may be a victim of elder neglect or abuse, please contact the knowledgeable nursing home abuse attorneys at Jorgensen Law in San Diego. We’ll provide you with a free initial consultation and case evaluation and determine whether you are eligible for compensation as a victim of nursing home abuse, neglect, or injury. Not only do financial awards help compensate victims for their mistreatment, but they also encourage nursing facilities to properly care for their residents.
Signs of Nursing Home Abuse
Elder neglect and abuse take many forms, according to the National Center of Elder Abuse. These can include:
-
- Forcing a person to stay in their room
- Beating, shaking, pushing, or slapping a resident
- Giving not enough or too much medication
- Unreasonable physical restraints
- Sexual assault
- Assault and battery
- Poor access to medical services
- Failure to protect from safety and health hazards
- Unclean or unsanitary conditions
- Failure to assist with personal hygiene
- Failure to prevent bedsores, falls, malnutrition, and dehydration
- Medical neglect: not caring for existing medical issues
- Physical neglect: disregarding daily living necessities
Potential Victims at Risk
Use of physical restraints and inadequate staffing are two potential indicators of poor care. It was shown in the CHF study that a quarter of California nursing homes didn’t meet the state’s standards of care and 95 percent didn’t meet federal regulations for adequate staffing. It was also found that physical restraints are used in California facilities at twice the national average.
We can’t forget that elderly residents are some of society’s most vulnerable members. That’s why the knowledgeable nursing home abuse attorneys at Jorgensen Law in San Diego County are determined to seek justice on their behalf.
If you believe your loved one has been a victim of nursing home neglect or abuse, call us right away at 1-888-855-2948 or contact us online. We’ll fight to get the justice you deserve and make sure that the negligent residential care facility takes responsibility for its actions before it can harm anyone else.