Caring for an elderly person or a dependent adult can offer a wide range of challenges to the person in charge of the care. With many elder adults, the level of care that they need is extensive and this can lead to the necessity of placing them in an establishment like a nursing home. When we entrust our elderly relatives to these establishments, we expect that they will receive adequate care and that their health and wellbeing will be looked after.
The unfortunate fact is that this is not always the case. For a variety of different reasons, these homes regularly fail in their obligations and serious harm can be done to those in their care. If you suspect that your loved one is being abused or suffering from a lack of care, then the advice of a Bakersfield elder abuse attorney can be crucial in helping you to understand your rights and whether there are any legal measures that can be taken to address the situation.
Abuse in nursing homes
Elder abuse can take on many forms and it can also occur in many different settings. With nursing homes being a common setting for abuse, personal injury lawyers find that they are being contacted more and more to investigate and file claims on behalf of these elderly individuals. In most cases, it is not that the individuals that manage and work in these homes are bad people, but issues like understaffing, inadequate training and a failure to properly vet ones employees can easily lead to issues.
Some of the issues that may exist in a nursing home include:
- Neglect and inadequate care
- A failure to properly monitor known health issues
- A failure to properly manage a residents medication
- A failure to assist a disabled patient resulting in injury
- Emotional abuse
- Physical abuse by nursing home staff
- Allowing physical abuse to occur between residents of the home
- Financial exploitation
What can you do about elder abuse?
If you know that elder abuse is occurring, then you have to report it. This is true not only from a moral and ethical standpoint, but you may also have a legal obligation to report the situation. Depending on the circumstances, you can contact the local police department, emergency medical services or you could contact Adult Protective Services.
Contacting a Bakersfield elder abuse attorney may also be a necessary step in receiving justice for the individual that has suffered the abuse. Many of these incidents result in financial loss, impaired health and emotional distress and the victim does have a right to seek compensation for these losses. The Quirk Law Group is committed to helping the victims of elder abuse and we will work aggressively to make sure that our clients get the justice that they deserve.