Elderly people deserve to live without fear of abuse or neglect from unscrupulous caregivers. Unfortunately, not everyone who works in a nursing home has respect for senior citizens. Some people take nursing home jobs specifically for access to vulnerable residents. They take advantage of this vulnerability by neglecting their duties, physically abusing residents, or tricking residents into giving them money, jewelry, and other valuable objects. While it will never be possible to stop nursing home abuse completely, choosing a nursing home carefully can reduce the risk of nursing home abuse and neglect.
- Ask a trusted friend or relative for a recommendation.
- If your family doctor provides medical care to nursing home residents, ask which facility offers the best care for residents.
- Search for reports or news articles about local nursing homes. Look carefully for information about nursing homes being cited for violations or cases involving abuse of past residents.
- Review health inspection reports for local nursing homes. Avoid facilities that have poor inspection records.
- Visit each nursing home on your list of potential facilities. Watch how staff members interact with residents.
- During your visit, observe the residents of each nursing home. Are they engaged in structured activities, or are they sitting in wheelchairs doing nothing? Do they appear clean and neat? Are staff members paying attention to residents who are asking for help?
- Contact your state consumer affairs office and ask if they have reports on the quality of local nursing homes.
If your loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home despite your best efforts, contact the Phoenix nursing home abuse attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. We have experience handling cases of emotional abuse, neglect, financial abuse, and physical abuse of nursing home residents. When nursing home abuse occurs, you need someone to help you fight for your loved one. Call us at (602) 457-6222 to talk to an experienced professional at no cost.
When it comes to nursing home abuse and neglect in Arizona, emotional abuse is tougher to spot than physical abuse. Emotional abuse is unfortunately prevalent in Arizona nursing homes. The symptoms are a lot more subtle than physical abuse. But the damage caused by emotional abuse is as serious as the injuries caused by physical abuse. Nursing home facilities have an obligation and a responsibility to hire caring individuals who will provide quality care to residents. However, this is not always the case. Nursing homes that deliberately keep staffing levels low in their facilities and do not invest in trained, qualified staff create an environment that is ripe for abuse and neglect.
When the elderly are insulted or put down, they may suffer emotional trauma that can change their personality. Nursing home emotional abuse may include verbal attacks, insults, threats, intimidation, harassment, and humiliation. Victims of this type of abuse may become withdrawn and non-responsive. It is common for victims of emotional abuse to become easily upset or agitated. If a resident stops attending group activities or chooses to stay in their room, it may be a symptomatic of an emotional issue.
Detecting Arizona nursing home emotional abuse can be tricky. If you suspect your loved one is being verbally abused, intimidated, or harassed by nursing home employees, it is critical that you complain to a supervisor at the facility right away. If no action is taken, talk to an ombudsman in your state or contact an experienced lawyer to find out more information about your legal rights and options.
The skilled Arizona nursing home abuse attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. offer free consultations to families whose loved ones have been abused or neglected at a nursing home facility in Arizona. Please contact our Phoenix law offices at 602-457-6222 to get the help and advise you need. We will fight hard for the rights of your loved one and hold the negligent nursing home accountable for their actions.
There are more than 135 nursing home facilities in Arizona. Choosing the right care facility for your loved one can be a complicated and stressful process. There are a number of factors to consider when looking for an Arizona nursing home: 1) Does the facility provide the level of care that your family member requires for a safe and happy lifestyle? 2) Is the care facility within your finances? and 3) Does the home have a clean and incident-free record? If you are looking for a nursing home for your loved one, the most important step to take is to research the facilities and visit them in person.
Visiting multiple Arizona nursing homes at different times of the day is a great way to see what the nursing home looks like, how employees behave and how they treat their residents throughout the day. The staff should be appropriately attired, friendly and open to answering questions. Visits from guests and potential residents should be encouraged.
You should make sure that the facility is licensed and certified. It may also be in your best interest to research how the facility performed in recent state inspections. If the nursing home was cited for Quality of Care deficiencies, you should find out if they have satisfactorily addressed those issues. Also, by researching the facility online you may find reviews from family members of residents and complaints filed against the facility.
Sadly, no amount of planning and research can eliminate all possible risks of neglect or abuse at an Arizona nursing home. Nursing home neglect and abuse could occur anywhere, anytime. If you are worried that your family member has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect in Arizona, call the dedicated Phoenix nursing home abuse attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices P.C. at 602-978-6400 to discuss the specifics of your case. We always offer free consultations and comprehensive case evaluations.
It is common for elderly victims of Arizona nursing home abuse to not talk about what they are going through. Abuse victims often become withdrawn or embarrassed and keep their problems hidden. There are a number of potential red flags that family members can keep an eye out for while visiting their loved ones in nursing homes or care facilities. No amount of care and attention can prevent all nursing home abuse, but a watchful eye may help spot potential problems.
Physical abuse may manifest itself in the form of unexplained bruises and injuries. Keep an eye out for bruises on the arms and legs that may be signs of restraint or unnecessary use of force. It may be necessary to inquire about a loved one’s injuries. All accidents that occur in a nursing care facility should be on a patient’s medical report. So if there are observable injuries that are not documented, there may be abuse that is being covered up.
Nursing facilities have an obligation to provide adequate housing and nutrition to their residents. Signs of Arizona elder neglect may be noticeable as soon as you enter the facility. A neglected nursing home resident may have dirty clothes, an unkempt appearance and a messy room. Neglected patients often lose weight because of malnutrition and dehydration.
Signs of verbal abuse may be more difficult to spot. Victims of verbal abuse may undergo personality changes. Nursing home verbal abuse may cause a victim to become easily agitated, withdrawn or frightened. Changes in personality could be symptomatic of verbal abuse that is occurring when you are not around.
The compassionate Scottsdale nursing home abuse attorneys at the family run firm, The Breyer Law Offices P.C., serve the injured victims of Arizona and their families. If your loved one has been neglected or abused in an Arizona nursing home, please contact us at 602-978-6400 for a free, comprehensive and completely confidential consultation.
Choosing the right nursing home for a family member can be a difficult and stressful process. The choice usually has to be made in a short period of time because of a medical issue or financial concern. This decision making process should not, however, be rushed. Taking your time and choosing the right facility is important for the health and emotional well-being of your loved one.
There are many useful web sites available to guide you through the process and help you learn more about elder abuse in Arizona. For example, the official Medicare site provides information about Arizona nursing home facilities and grade them with a star rating. However, the star rating in most cases, does not tell the entire story. It is absolutely essential that you personally visit the facility several times at different times of day to get an accurate picture.
Here are a few questions to ask. Are there sufficient staff members around to meet the needs of residents? Do residents seem happy? Are there any patients who seem over-medicated, sleepy or unable to walk or talk? How does the place look and smell? Talk to other visitors who already have a loved one at the facility. Ask them if they are satisfied with the level of care.
Choosing the right facility for your loved one may save you and your family heartache in the future. If your loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or nursing home neglect in Arizona, please contact the Phoenix nursing home abuse lawyers of the Breyer Law Offices P.C. at 602-978-6400 right away. We will work diligently to make sure that the nursing home is held accountable and that you and your loved one are fairly compensation for the resulting injuries and losses.
Most forms of Arizona nursing home abuse are underreported. One type of abuse that tends to be under the radar is financial abuse. Financial abuse may come in the form of forged checks, false charities, and other forms of financial exploitation. As the family member of someone in a nursing care facility, it is in your best interest to keep abreast of the financial status of your loved one and to remain vigilant. If you suspect that your loved one is being victimized at a care facility in Arizona, do not hesitate to discuss your legal options with a skilled nursing home or elder abuse attorney.
It is a crime to take advantage of an elderly person through manipulation, deceit, or intimidation. Financial abuse can be as simple as forging a check to something as elaborate as a fraudulent scheme or soliciting investment for a business that does not exist.
The best way to detect financial nursing home abuse is to keep a close eye on your loved ones’ finances. If there are unexplained withdrawals or large checks written out, it is important that you ask questions. This type of abuse can also prevented by making an effort to see your family member often and at random times so that nursing home workers know you are attentive and aware of your loved one’s well-being. Financial abuse is often connected to facilities that foster other forms of abuse as well, so it is crucial that you remain alert and report all suspicious activity.
The Arizona nursing home abuse attorneys at The Breyer Law Offices, P.C. are here to safeguard the rights of your loved one. We will fight for your family’s rights and make sure that your loved one is fairly compensated for their losses. Call us today to find out how we can help at 602-978-6400.
One sign of abuse in a nursing home is a bedsore or multiple bedsores. While sores can be common, if treated properly, they don’t become an issue. However, for someone who is not being properly cared for, bedsores are allowed to occur, grow, and multiply.
If you have a loved one that lives in a Scottsdale nursing home and is suffering from bedsores, and you’d like to know whether or not negligence exists and is causing the sores, then you need the help of an experienced Scottsdale nursing home abuse attorney. A skilled attorney will be able to hire experts who can review the medical records of your loved one, find out about the care they have been receiving, and determine whether or not the bedsores could and should have been prevented.
If you have any questions about how the law in Arizona works in regards to nursing home abuse or neglect cases, please don’t hesitate to contact us. At Breyer Law Offices, our Arizona elder injury lawyers welcome your call – whether you know you want to bring a suit against a nursing home, or you’re simply looking for answers surrounding a possible nursing home abuse case. We can give you the information and advice you need, so you can make the best decision for your loved one.
Patients who live in nursing homes in Arizona are in a very vulnerable position. They are completely dependent on their caregivers for things like food and medicine. While most nursing home residents are properly cared for, unfortunately there are some cases where the caregiver denies the patient proper treatment in the form of elder abuse in Arizona.
For example, some caregivers might overmedicate a patient. Shockingly, some caregivers do this intentionally to prevent the person from complaining or voicing concerns about the treatment they are receiving. In other cases, the medication that is necessary for the patient’s health and well-being is denied. Failure to properly administer medicine to patients is completely unacceptable – and illegal. In fact, that’s why there are laws that have been established – such as the Arizona Adult Protective Services Act – to protect nursing home patients from this kind of abuse.
If you have a loved one in an Arizona nursing home, and you think they may be over- or under-medicated intentionally, please don’t hesitate to contact us. At Breyer Law Offices, our Peoria nursing home abuse lawyers welcome your call – whether you know you want to bring a suit against a nursing home, or you’re simply looking for answers surrounding a possible nursing home abuse case. We can give you the information and advice you need, so you can make the best decision for your loved one.
Bedsores (also known as decubitus ulcers) are one of the most common signs of nursing home neglect. In the worst cases, they may cover an elderly person’s body. Bedridden seniors and shut-ins can end up with these sores due to neglect. This affliction is usually preventable, and this type of injury is frequently a sign of nursing home abuse.
Other elder abuse cases involve elderly people who are denied proper food and water, and thus suffer from malnutrition and/ or dehydration. While a doctor’s diagnosis is normally required to prove that these conditions are present, it’s possible to recognize the signs and symptoms of dehydration or malnutrition. These signs should raise a red flag and be fully investigated.
Indicators such as poor personal hygiene or a normally clean, fastidious person who suddenly appears to lose interest in personal care can be signs of a problem that’s much more serious.
Obviously, not every possible marker of nursing home abuse means that there is indisputable neglect taking place. However, examining any and all symptoms to uncover possible offenses is a vital step to assuring that loved ones are protected from nursing home abuse or neglect in Peoria and throughout the state of Arizona.
As Peoria nursing home abuse lawyers, we understand how difficult it is for a family to discover that their loved one has been a victim to elderly neglect or abuse. If you suspect such negligence, please feel free to contact Breyer Law Office, P.C. today for a free, no-obligation consultation. We can help.
Clearly, not every single red flag or sign of nursing home abuse listed above is going to necessarily mean that there is neglect and abuse going on. That’s why it’s so important to try and do some investigative work to try and uncover the causes of the signs. This is a vital step in not only protecting your loved one, but also in ensuring that no other individual is abused or neglected in the nursing home.
When investigating, be sure to visit your family member or friend on a regular basis to ensure they are receiving proper medical care. Ask them questions about their care and treatment at the nursing home. If you do suspect abuse, whether at a nursing home in Mesa, a private facility, from an at-home nurse, or in a hospital, you have the right to take legal action to protect your loved one and to help them win compensation for medical bills, therapy, and any pain and suffering they endured.
As nursing home abuse attorneys in Phoenix experienced with the Arizona Adult Protective Services Act, we can help you and your loved one with any legal and related issues involving elder abuse. While not every injury needs to result in a lawsuit, we are happy to provide you with the information and answers you require to make the best decision for you and your loved one. Please contact our offices at 480-753-4534 to schedule a free, no obligation consultation.
