Nursing home abuse attorney | lawyer in Sacramento
Nursing Home Abuse
One of the hardest decisions a loved one will ever make is whether to place a family member in a skilled nursing facility, also known as a nursing home or convalescent hospital. The family member often feels guilty, even though it is sometimes the best, or even only course of action based on the health care needs of their elderly or disabled family member. This highly emotional situation is compounded greatly when the facility entrusted to provide adequate and compassionate care and treatment fails to do so. Family members are often shocked to learn that the resident has been deprived of necessary medications, proper hydration, proper nourishment, skin care, or other vital needs.
Growing reports of nursing home abuse
Despite various state and federal laws protecting residents of skilled nursing facilities, reports of nursing home abuse and neglect continue to grow. Unfortunately, many nursing home operators, at the expense of the residents, place profit above providing the proper care and treatment owed to the individuals entrusted to them. While the California Department of Health Services frequently issues citations for abuse and neglect, many nursing home operators simply factor in the monetary fines as a cost of doing business. Litigation resulting in substantial verdicts and settlements is often the only catalyst for change in this industry.
Chronic understaffing is a problem
Most employees of skilled nursing facilities are caring and compassionate people who try to provide good care to the residents. However, in the quest to improve the bottom line, nursing home operators often purposefully under-staff the facility in order to minimize payroll costs. Understaffing places the employees of the facility in an impossible situation. There is only so much an employee can accomplish in a given shift. When facilities are understaffed, the residents suffer. Most of these residents are highly dependent on the staff for very simple activities of daily living , such as bathing, brushing teeth, eating, using the restroom, or being turned in bed to prevent bedsores.
Contact our office to discuss your case
If your loved one is in a nursing home, and you discover that the resident has been mistreated, or suffers from bedsores, dehydration, malnutrition, or other signs of neglect, please contact our office immediately to discuss possible options for remedying the situation. You can tell us about your case confidentially online, or call us at (916) 441-5566.
There are very strict laws regulating the nursing home industry. Furthermore, the California Elder Abuse and Dependent Adult Civil Protection Act provides residents and their family members powerful tools in the fight to reform the industry by way of civil litigation.
