|
Negligence and abuse in nursing
and residential care facilities throughout North Carolina
have become all too common. More than 30 percent of the
country’s nursing homes have been cited for violations that
put residents in harm’s way. Every day, nursing homes are
being cited with violations of state and federal laws.
For some common signs of abuse
and neglect,
click here.
The attorneys of Younce &
Vtipil are dedicated to representing the injured and
disabled. The Martindale-Hubble Law Directory has rated
Younce & Vtipil’s legal abilities as "High to Very High."
They rated our adherence to professional standards of
conduct and ethics, reliability and diligence as "Very
High." We have the resources and experience to take on some
of the largest corporations in the United States.
Nursing home abuse and neglect has been called the hidden
crime because it can be difficult to recognize, has been
concealed by nursing home staff, or the victim is too
frightened or incapacitated to report the mistreatment. An
estimated 84 percent of abuse cases go unreported or
unrecognized. Even with strict regulations, nursing home residents suffer
abuse and neglect at the hands of those charged with helping
them. Abuse may take the form of assault or battery, sexual
abuse, rape, unnecessary physical restraint, insufficient
food or water or the improper use of medication. Residents
who are neglected may suffer lack of hygiene, lack of
medical attention, bedsores, malnutrition, dehydration,
emotional isolation, and “slip and fall” accidents.
While many nursing homes provide quality care and support
for their residents, a General Accounting Office (GAO) study
reported that 25 percent of the nations’ over 17,000 nursing
facilities “…had deficiencies that caused actual harm to
residents or placed residents at risk of death or serious
jeopardy.” Under the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987, a
nursing home is required to “provide services and activities
to attain or maintain the highest practicable physical,
mental and psychosocial well-being of each resident” in
accordance with a specific plan of care. To obtain Medicare
and Medicaid funds, nursing homes must also comply with the
U.S. Code of Federal Regulations policies for long-term care
that specify that Nursing Homes must:
- Have sufficient nursing staff to provide nursing and
related services
- Develop a comprehensive care plan for each resident
- Prevent the deterioration of a resident’s ability to
bathe, dress, groom, transfer and ambulate
- Ensure that residents receive proper treatment to maintain
vision and hearing abilities
- Ensure that residents do not develop bedsores
- Provide appropriate treatment and services to incontinent
residents
- Ensure that the resident receives adequate supervision and
assistive devices to prevent accidents
- Ensure that residents are free of any significant
medication errors
- Promote care for residents in a manner and environment
that maintains or enhances each resident’s dignity
- Ensure that the medical care of each resident is
supervised by a physician and must provide or arrange for
the provision of physician services 24 hours a day, in case
of an emergency
- Provide pharmaceutical services
If your loved one has been abused, injured or died in a
nursing home or assisted care facility, please do not
hesitate to call us at 1-800-811-9495 for a free
consultation or contact us online. At Younce & Vtipil it
will cost you nothing to speak with an attorney about your
potential claim and there is no obligation when you call.
Nursing Home Abuse / Neglect FAQs
It breaks my heart to see the
care that my mother–in-law is receiving in the nursing home.
What can I do?
Who do I make a report to?
Is there a special format for
reports or complaints?
Should I contact an attorney
about the situation?
What constitutes abuse or
neglect?
How can I find a good nursing
home?
|
