Senior Abuse is a Widespread Concern in Elder Care

A Place For Mom, a website dedicated to providing the public with information about nursing homes, recently published an article titled “How to Avoid the Worst Nursing Homes in 2014” about the state of elder care in America. The article heavily featured information about avoiding and recognizing the warning signs of nursing home abuse.

According to the APFM article, studies have revealed that abuse and neglect are widespread in nursing homes. More than 90% of all nursing homes have received citation for some deficiency, and one in five nursing homes have “abused, neglected, or mistreated residents in almost half of states.” These figures came from several nonprofits and government oversight agencies.

To explain this disturbing trend, APFM consulted an elder care lawyer who explained that many of the issues came down to money.

The landscape of elder care is changing, with most independent nursing homes being bought out by larger corporations. These corporations focus on Medicaid- and Medicare-eligible seniors, a practice which ensures income for the companies. However, the lawyer explains that “because a nursing home’s revenue is fixed by the year’s Medicare and Medicaid reimbursement rate, they can only increase their profits by reducing their costs, which means cutting on the quality of the care they provide.”

According to the elder care attorney, the only limit is that if nursing homes cut back too far, government penalties and lawsuits threaten profit margins. However, some states have placed limits on how much a family can seek in litigation against nursing homes. States with such elder care laws tend to be home to the lowest quality nursing homes, according to APFM.

In overcoming these difficulties, the APFM article advocates various senior living review sites, including SeniorAdvisor.com to help select nursing homes, as well as Medicare’s nursing home comparison website. But the article also focused on spotting the signs of elder abuse in your loved ones.

Warning Signs of Nursing Home Abuse

In addition to complaints filed with regulatory agencies, family members should watch for unclean living spaces, and if the residents don’t look cared for. Loved ones should also keep an eye out for signs of physical abuse like cuts, bruises and burns. Signs of emotional abuse could include social withdrawal and confusion. Even sudden financial changes can indicate certain forms of exploitation. Above all, talk to seniors and take any complaints they have seriously.

Elder Abuse Lawsuits Help Families Take Action

Lawsuits have been filed against nursing homes and other elder care facilities, alleging various forms of abuse and neglect. These elder abuse lawsuits seek damages for emotional, physical and financial abuse of seniors by their trusted caregivers.

If you suspect that a loved one has suffered abuse at the hands of caregivers, you may not know what steps to take. But you have an option for guidance. You can start to explore your situation by visiting the Elder Abuse, Nursing Home Neglect Class Action Lawsuit Investigation. Here, you can enter information about your situation for a legal review by a trained expert with a background in this type of situation. The initial consultation is completely free of charge, and from it, you can receive valuable guidance on the best steps to take in your exact situation.