Foley Alabama Attorneys
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NURSING HOME ABUSE

Our country’s graying baby boomer generation is creating an increased demand for nursing home care. The growing number of elderly citizens who need long-term care in their later years has led to higher incidents of abuse in nursing homes and facilities.

If your loved one has suffered abuse in a nursing home, he or she is entitled to make a claim to recover damages against the home’s owners and/or staff responsible for the safety of its residents. Our experienced nursing home abuse lawyers can provide skilled and compassionate care throughout your claim.

Common Causes of Nursing Home Abuse

Elder abuse and neglect in nursing homes are often attributed to:

  • Failure to screen staff
  • Understaffing
  • Inadequate training
  • High turnover rates
  • Hiring staff members who lack compassion for their patients

Nursing Home Abuse Statistics

These statistics display the shocking extent of the abuse of the elderly in our nation’s care facilities:

  • An estimated 10 percent of nursing home residents are being abused.
  • 90% of all nursing homes are understaffed.
  • 1 in every 3 nursing homes has been cited for patient abuse.
  • Only 1 of every 5 incidents of abuse or neglect is reported to anyone; only 1 in 14 is reported to the proper authorities.
  • 1 in 25 nursing home residents is a victim of financial abuse.

Types of Nursing Home Abuse

  • Neglect of patients resulting in bedsores, dehydration, malnutrition, infection, and poor hygiene.
  • Physical abuse, including slapping, pinching, restraining, or overmedicating.
  • Emotional abuse, including verbal insults, humiliation, threats, and/or isolation.
  • Sexual abuse, including sexual harassment, unwanted touching, genital contact or penetration, or unwanted exposure to pornography.
  • Financial abuse, such as cashing a patient’s checks without their knowledge, forging a patient’s signature on a check, stealing a patients’ money or possessions, tricking or forcing a patient to sign a will or other financial document.

Signs of Abuse in Nursing Homes

Studies have shown that nursing home patients who receive few visits are more likely to be neglected or abused. By visiting your loved one frequently without advance warning to the staff, you will be better able to observe if anything is amiss that might indicate neglect or abuse.

Look for these signs when visiting your loved ones in a nursing or care home:

  • Unattended wandering
  • Observable weight loss or sunken appearance
  • Bedsores
  • Bruises, especially on wrists and ankles
  • Torn garments
  • Blood on undergarments
  • Fearfulness and withdrawal
  • Matted hair, body odor, and other signs of poor hygiene
  • Unsatisfactory answers to your questions by staff
  • Signs of overmedication
  • Missing possessions
  • Frequent visits to emergency rooms of different hospitals

Many elderly people fail to report abuse because they fear retaliation or because they are cognitively impaired and unable to communicate. If you observe any of these signs of possible abuse, report them to Senior Protective Services and consult a nursing home abuse attorney.

Experienced Counsel for Victims & Families of Nursing Home Abuse

Southern Estate Lawyers is an excellent resource for information, advice, and legal representation to assist victims and families of nursing home abuse. We are deeply committed to preserving the dignity and well-being of the older members of our state and community and are passionate about holding nursing home facilities accountable for failing to offer proper care to its residents.

GETTING HELP

Our estate planning and litigation attorneys are some of the most active litigation practitioners in Alabama. Our lawyers have had enormous success in both probate and circuit courts. To schedule a free consultation with our experienced Alabama estate planning attorneys, please contact us.

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