Nursing Home Abuse
Beware of Arbitration Clauses in Nursing Home Contracts
Many long-term care facilities include an arbitration clause in the contracts that must be signed by new residents and/or their loved ones. Although it may sound harmless, if you sign this agreement, you could be signing away important legal rights, such as the ability to pursue a civil lawsuit if…
Read MoreWhen Can a Nursing Home Be Liable for Wandering Residents Who Get Injured?
A lot of nursing home residents are prone to wandering, and this could lead to serious or even life-threatening injury. Residents could suffer heat stroke during the summer, frostbite during the winter, fall injuries because of a tripping hazard or uneven ground or drowning if they fall into water. If…
Read MoreHow Negligent Hiring May Play a Part in Nursing Home Abuse
Nursing homes are tasked with caring for some of the most vulnerable in our society, our elderly citizens. Unfortunately, there are administrators who shirk this responsibility by cutting corners to save money. Negligent hiring is one of the most common shortcuts taken. PKSD explains what negligent hiring is and how…
Read MoreWhat You Should Know About the Increased Risk for Elder Abuse Around the Holidays
Many nursing homes have trouble staffing their facilities throughout the year due to the grueling hours and physical demands of the job. However, around the holiday season, this becomes even more of a challenge. When there is a reduction in the number of qualified staff members to care for the…
Read MoreAre Twin Cities Nursing Home Complaints Being Covered Up?
There are thousands of reports of nursing home abuse and neglect in Minnesota’s Twin Cities that are not investigated by the Department of Health, according to an investigation by a local news station. The lack of investigation means the complaints are hidden from public view. Some of the complaints involving…
Read MoreCaretaker at New Mexico Nursing Home Faces Criminal Charge for Dragging a Dementia Patient
A caretaker at The Montecito Santa Fe was captured on video yanking an 89-year-old patient from where she was seated and dragging her through the facility’s lounge area. Other staff members who witnessed the caretaker’s violent behavior reported it to her daughter and showed her the video clip. The victim’s…
Read MoreStaff Arrested for Running a Dementia Fight Club in Assisted Living Facility
Earlier this month, three female employees of the Danby House, an assisted living facility in North Carolina, were arrested and accused of starting their own fight club using the facility’s dementia patients. The patients were forced to punch each other while staff members recorded it on their cellphones. According to…
Read MoreHow Can Families Protect Loved Ones When Nursing Home Neglect Injuries Are Underreported?
Approximately 6,600 cases of nursing home neglect or abuse were not reported in 2016, according to a watchdog report prepared by auditors with the Health and Human Services Inspector General’s Office. This represents about 18 percent of the 37,600 instances when a Medicare beneficiary was taken to the hospital. Federal…
Read MoreWhy Understaffing is a Major Problem in Nursing Homes
The statistics related to understaffing in nursing homes are startling. According to Nursing Home Abuse Guide, forty-six percent of nurses have excessive workloads in nursing homes. More than 90 percent of all nursing homes in the country are understaffed. And over 20 percent of nursing homes fail to provide proper…
Read MoreRisk Factors for Dehydration and Malnutrition in Nursing Homes
Malnutrition and dehydration are serious threats in nursing home facilities that can result in infections, muscle weakness and confusion. Below, we discuss the dangerous side effects of dehydration and malnutrition and what signs to look out for. If you suspect that your loved one is suffering from dehydration and malnutrition…
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