Some Of The Top Warning Signs Of Elder Abuse Are...

When the time comes for our aging loved ones to move into a nursing home or assisted living facility, we are faced with the difficult task of finding just the right place.  We speak with neighbors and friends, ask for professional recommendations, and tour the different facilities.  Even after the most careful search, unforeseen problems can arise.

Most nursing homes and assisted living facilities provide safe, caring environments, staffed by hard-working professionals.  Sometimes, however, problems arise.  Elder abuse is a disturbingly-common problem across the country.  The law protects the safety and dignity of the elderly in these facilities, but to enforce these laws the authorities need to know there is abuse taking place

If you have a loved one in a nursing home or assisted living facility, keep a watchful eye on these 7 warning signs during your visit:

1. Sudden weight loss or dehydration
2. Bruises, burns, and other unexplained injuries
3. Bedsores
4. Use of restraints
5. Staff inattention
6. Unsanitary/unsafe conditions
7. Financial issues

If you suspect that a loved one has been the victim of elder abuse contact our office immediately at 1-800-669-4878.

Nursing Home Abuse Statistics

Nursing Home Abuse Statistics

• 1 out of 3 nursing homes across the country have been cited for nursing home abuse and other related infractions.

• 11% of nursing homes have been cited for unnecessary dispensing of prescription drugs

• 1/4 of the aides prosecuted for abusing patients have previous criminal records and 5% of nursing home aides across the nation have criminal records.

• 1 to 2 million Americans over 65 have been abused, neglected or mistreated by their primary caregiver.

• In 1999, 5,000 death certificates of nursing home patients listed dehydration, malnutrition, starvation, or bedsores as the cause of death.

• CNN reports that just over 90% of nursing home facilities are understaffed. These staff shortages lead to increased instances of health problems, neglect, and abuse.

• Only 16% of elder abuse cases are ever reported, according to the National Elder Abuse Incident Study.

Study Finds Criminal Pasts of Nursing Home Workers

More than 90 percent of nursing homes employ one or more people who have been convicted of at least one crime, federal investigators said Wednesday in a new report. In addition, they said, 5 percent of all nursing home employees have at least one criminal conviction.

The report was issued by Daniel R. Levinson, inspector general of the Department of Health and Human Services, who obtained the names of more than 35,000 nursing home employees and then checked with theFederal Bureau of Investigation to see if they had criminal records.

“Our analysis of F.B.I. criminal history records revealed that 92 percent of nursing facilities employed at least one individual with at least one criminal conviction,” Mr. Levinson said. “Nearly half of nursing facilities employed five or more individuals with at least one conviction. For example, a nursing facility with a total of 164 employees had 34 employees with at least one conviction each.”

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