Transitioning a family member into a nursing home is a decision that takes time, research, and careful thought before selecting a placement. The chosen facility needs to be safe with resources and staff available to create a suitable living environment. These expectations of proper security have been under scrutiny more recently as new research from the Gerontological Society of America has shown that nearly one in five people living in a nursing home is a victim of abuse.
Hostile and unsafe incidents among elderly residents, including physical assault, are occurring at such a common rate at long-term care facilities that staff members almost seem unaware of the growing problem. This negligence is leading to injuries, such as bruises, lacerations, and fractures, putting residents in danger in their own home.
Lead author of this latest study, Karl Pillemer, a professor at Weill Cornell Medical College and Cornell University, attributes part of the problem to crowded conditions and lack of adequate staff for the number of residents needing care. In order to shed light on this dangerous reality of nursing home abuse, he says data collection of the incidents is just the beginning.
Unfortunately, when it comes to elder abuse and mistreatment, a large number of cases go unreported. The National Center of Elder Abuse illustrates that based on a study of 2,000 interviews with residents of nursing homes, 44 percent said they have been abused and 95 percent said they had been neglected or been witness to another resident being neglected.
Not all cases are being documented or they are being overlooked by staff. Nursing homes should be held accountable when the care of its residents is compromised. Your family members deserve better.
Our law firm is here to protect the rights of you and your loved ones. If you have a family member that you suspect has suffered nursing home neglect or abuse in Illinois, contact an experienced Chicago nursing home abuse attorney. Call the law office of [[title]] at [[phone]] for a free consultation today.