Stopping the Abuse of the Elderly
With the country facing considerable fiscal issues, it’s a sad reality that funding for public services in healthcare and eldercare are often some of the first to be cut. To make matters worse, despite their overwhelming need amongst the elder community, government reports continue to show that many nursing home facilities face staffing issues and have been linked to cases of poor care and elder abuse.
In order to address the problems facing nursing home and the elderly, many consumers and activists raised their voices on June 15, 2012 to mark World Elder Abuse Awareness Day.
Every year hundreds of thousands of elder Americans are abused, neglected, and exploited. Federal investigators have found that more than 90 percent of nursing homes have been cited for violations of health and safety standards. Furthermore, for-profit homes were found to be more likely to have problems than other types of homes.
While there have been calls from many health experts and activists for a cultural change to improve regulations and cut down on nursing home abuse, only small steps have been taken in recent years to move away from institutional-like care. Many nursing homes need to develop programs that foster closer relationships between residents; improve training measures to empower staff members to provide better care and treatment; and create an environment that’s welcoming and desirable to live in.
Even smaller changes in policy, like allowing pets or creating programs that would allow residents to volunteer at the nursing home could help improve the lives of our loved ones as they age.
While the nursing home care issue is a complex one, it is important for consumers, advocates, loved-ones and community members to embrace World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to ensure that change is made. Real reform can happen if we band together and advocate for those who, at times, may not be able to advocate for themselves.
If you or a loved one has been the victim of elder abuse, call Sokolove Law today to learn more about pursuing a nursing home abuse lawsuit. For legal help, call (800) 581-6358.
Tags: