Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Cases can be extremely difficult and challenging to endure. When you place a loved one in a nursing home, you expect that loved one to be cared for and looked after by professional health care providers. Sadly, however, this is not the case. In 2007, federal inspectors received over 31,000 complaints against nursing homes nationwide with about one fifth of those involving some form of abuse. In 2008, federal investigators found over 90% of the country's nursing homes in violation of federal health and safety standards.
If you suspect a loved one is a victim of nursing home abuse it is important to learn the signs of abuse and how report it:
• If you find unexplained injuries such as bruises, cuts, bedsores and burns, sudden personality changes in the elderly patient, over-medicated state or notice extreme financial changes you should suspect nursing home abuse.
• Before choosing a nursing home watch how the nursing home interacts with both patients and staff. Research the facility to note any legal issues and their history of violations to determine any trends in nursing home abuse.
• If you suspect abuse or neglect in the nursing home and/or if you have proof of abuse, file a complaint with the administrator. If the complaint is not investigated or not taken seriously, contact the Alabama Attorney General's Office to file a report and contact an attorney at Farris, Riley & Pitt that handles nursing home abuse cases.
