“Each year, close to 5 million people are affected by nursing home abuse.”
The breakdown of cases in the U.S. is as follows:
- Physical abuse – 27.4%
- resident-on-resident abuse (physical or sexual) – 22.1%
- psychological abuse – 19.4%
- gross neglect – 15.3%
- sexual abuse – 7.9%
- financial exploitation – 7.9%
Other statistics presented by the Nursing Home Abuse Justice organization are equally sobering:
- 1 in 10 elders over 60 years old has been abused
- Nearly 1 in 4 residents experienced at least one instance of nursing home abuse
- Only 1 in 14 incidents is reported
- Incidents reports are rising yearly
Sadly, nursing home abuse has almost become an epidemic. Talk with one of our nursing home abuse lawyers at our Doylestown and Norristown personal injury law firm.
Nursing home resident rights in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania law regulates standards of care, policies, and services for state facilities. Residents and their families are entitled to fair treatment and guaranteed rights to help ensure proper care. The laws also contain standards attached to dietary services, nursing and physician services, care plans, social, and dental services. Staffing requirements are governed by resident occupation.
Apart from PA Laws, the Pennsylvania Department of Health also deals with abuse and neglect in nursing homes and recommends you take the following steps.
If you are concerned about the abuse of a loved one:
- Speak to the director of nursing or the nursing home administrator
- If your issues haven’t been addressed contact the Department of Aging
- As a last defense contact the Department of Health itself
Equally important, the Older Adults Protective Services Act (OAPSA) mandates reporting requirements for suspected abuse. Employees or administrators suspecting must report the abuse to the local Area Agency on Aging and licensing agencies. In instances where the suspected abuse is of a sexual nature, physical injury, bodily injury or suspicious death, additional reporting is required to the Department of Aging as well as local law enforcement.
Our nursing home abuse lawyers have the experience and knowledge to handle your personal injury claims, including nursing home abuse. We provide the legal counsel to not only protect your loved ones but also may help them get monetary closure to their case.
Things to look for with nursing home abuse
Physical abuse carries some clear warnings … weight loss, bedsores, bruises, untreated cuts, increases in sedation without clear medical reasons, unsanitary conditions, and waste smells. Emotional, sexual and financial abuse can be harder to identify unless you hear something during conversations or have access to financial information.
If you experience any of these conditions, it’s best to exercise due diligence in investigating the causes. Equally important, it’s best to conduct thorough research into nursing home ratings even before selecting a facility.
How our nursing home abuse lawyers can help
When you work with our personal injury lawyers on a nursing home abuse claim, we’ll assess the victim’s history, mental and physical capacities, and overall circumstances related to abuse allegations. We’ll also assess the case using these legal requirements:
- A legal contract existed binding the nursing home to care for your loved one
- The nursing home failed to uphold that responsibility through negligence, omission or intentional acts
- The abuse is a direct result of the acts and legal action is related to the cause.
Our personal injury lawyers have families, too. They understand and want to make sure that appropriate care is reinstated as well as getting compensatory damages. We’re also ready to pursue your case diligently to get you monies for any personal injuries your loved one has suffered. Talk with one of our nursing home abuse lawyers at our Norristown or Doylestown personal injury law firm.
Call Rich Sokorai at 610.275.0700 or email info@highswartz.com. We’ll take the time to talk through the details with you.