subject: Saddening Episodes Of Elder Abuse Rampant In Nursing Homes [print this page] Elder abuse is a growing problem in Nevada, and unfortunately families across the country now wrestle not only with the choice to use nursing home facilities but also with the worry that their loved ones will be neglected or even abused. At the Nursing Home Negligence Center of Nevada, we help families move beyond an incident of elder abuse and understand the legal remedies available to them.
A number of cases from across the country illustrate this disturbing trend. In one case, dozens of residents were left in soiled adult diapers for days on end without changing. Families spend thousands of dollars a year for nursing home care, and they expect that their parents' incontinence issues will be dealt with in a prompt and dignified manner. In another incident, a 94-year-old woman was left unattended and wandering the facility. She was discovered in a walk-in freezer and had to be rushed to the hospital to avoid brain damage or a full bodily shutdown. Investigators are still trying to determine how the woman was able to access this potentially dangerous part of the nursing home and why she was unattended and not accounted for. In a third, most disturbing case, three caretakers at a nursing home have been sentenced to nearly two-year sentences in jail after intentionally mishandling elderly patients at their facility. The three young orderlies used mobile phones to film their exploits, which included taunting and threatening two dependent adults who were clearly frightened and helpless.
A saddening trend seems to be developing in this country, caused in part by the mergers of major health services companies and an increasing commercialization of nursing home care. Some nursing homes are part of large companies that include ten or more campuses; this can yield efficiencies or it can broaden the impact of irresponsible policies. Some of the largest elder care companies have been the subjects of the largest accusations of nursing home abuse: from bedsores to broken arms and from sadistic attacks to sexual assault, lapses in accountability can leave our loved ones literally in the hands of those who would do them harm.
These cases are the most graphic episodes of elder abuse, but they are by no means the only ones. If you have a loved one in an assisted-care facility, do your best to visit often and if possible without advance warning. While you spend time with your parent or grandparent, monitor him or her for bruises or other marks that might indicate abuse. Try to have a conversation with your family member away from the staff of the facility. If you discover evidence or allegations of elder abuse, contact us right away for a free consultation. Legal counsel from Nevada personal injury lawyer is an essential to stop this and recover damages. Our Nevada nursing home lawyers have represented affected families all over southern Nevada, and we have two convenient locations to serve you.
