| 1.6 million families in Tennessee and around | | | | nursing homes across the United States, and |
| the United States turn to nursing homes to | | | | North Carolina facilities are no exception. |
| care for their elderly loved ones. The number | | | | These types of violations are particularly |
| is expected to rise to 5 million over the | | | | grievous since elderly and disabled residents |
| next thirty years, as the baby boomer | | | | are unable to protect themselves from an |
| population ages. While families chose nursing | | | | attack. In many cases, they are not even able |
| care with an expectation of professionalism, | | | | to communicate the abuse they have suffered |
| kindness and compassion, there is a dark side | | | | to their family members, and hence have |
| to nursing homes: neglect and abuse. | | | | neither recourse nor protection from future |
| | | | abuse. |
| Abuse violations include physical, emotional | | | | |
| and sexual abuse, as well as neglect. | | | | According to a 2001 Congressional report, |
| According to a 2001 Congressional Report, one | | | | more than 9,000 nursing home abuse reports |
| in three U.S. nursing homes have been cited | | | | were filed in the two-year period between |
| for abuse. These types of violations are | | | | January 1999 and January 2001. Of these 9,000 |
| especially insidious since elderly and | | | | reports, more than 2,500 were severe enough |
| disabled residents are unable to protect | | | | to place residents in immediate jeopardy of |
| themselves from an attack. In many cases, | | | | death or serious injury. Reported types of |
| they are not even able to communicate the | | | | abuse include sexual, physical and verbal. |
| abuse they have suffered to their family | | | | |
| members, and hence they have neither recourse | | | | Nursing home neglect is another significant |
| against nor protection from future abuse. | | | | area of abuse, and can range from failure to |
| | | | provide medications according to the |
| What is being done to protect Tennessee | | | | doctor-prescribed schedule to withholding |
| residents from falling victim to this kind of | | | | food and even water from patients. |
| abuse? First, there are a number of laws on | | | | Dehydration and death have occurred as a |
| the books in Tennessee. For example, all | | | | result of this type of neglect. |
| staff must pass a criminal background check | | | | |
| and all nursing homes are subject to annual | | | | Also according to the Congressional report, |
| or more frequent inspections by the | | | | which was spearheaded by Representative Henry |
| department of health. Furthermore, | | | | Waxman (D-CA), the number of nursing homes |
| Tennesseans are protected by national nursing | | | | that is cited for abuse is increasing, and |
| home laws, such as the Americans with | | | | has been every year since 1996. For example, |
| Disabilities Act and the Nursing Home Reform | | | | the number of nursing homes cited for abuse |
| Act. | | | | during annual inspections more than doubled |
| | | | between 1996 and 2000. |
| These two laws mandate, among other things, | | | | |
| that patients must be given freedom and must | | | | While these national statistics are |
| receive respect for their persons, and their | | | | appalling, of even greater concern are the |
| personal property and possessions. | | | | incidents of unreported abuse. In fact, |
| | | | officials believe that abuse is grossly |
| If you suspect that you or a family member | | | | underreported; some experts even say that the |
| has been the victim of abuse or neglect, you | | | | majority of abuse incidents go unreported. At |
| can report the incident via state agencies | | | | particular risk are nursing home patients |
| such as the Tennessee Department of Health. | | | | without the mental or physical faculties to |
| The health department has licensing oversight | | | | be aware of -- or even to articulate -- the |
| for nursing homes and can revoke a home's | | | | abuse they are suffering at the hands of |
| license if it is found to be in severe | | | | their supposed caregivers. |
| violation of state and national law. | | | | |
| | | | Nationwide, one-third of the U.S.'s 1,600 |
| In addition to reporting the incident to the | | | | nursing homes were cited for an abuse |
| state agency, you should also contact a local | | | | violation that had the potential to cause |
| lawyer experienced with cases of nursing home | | | | harm or death. This heart-wrenching statistic |
| abuse and neglect in Tennessee. Your | | | | has devastating consequences for a state like |
| Tennessee nursing home abuse lawyer will work | | | | North Carolina, which has over 37,000 of its |
| with you on filing your claim with the state | | | | residents living in nursing homes, according |
| authorities, will advise you on the variety | | | | to a census conducted in 2002. |
| of legal issues, and will advocate for you as | | | | |
| you seek monetary compensation for the | | | | The reality is grim for North Carolina |
| neglect and abuse you or your loved one | | | | seniors, since one out of every three |
| experienced. | | | | residents over the age of eighty-five lives |
| | | | in a nursing home. Given the national rates |
| Families in North Carolina and around the | | | | of nursing home abuse, North Carolinians are |
| country turn to nursing homes to provide care | | | | undoubtedly at risk. If you or a loved one |
| and attention to their elderly loved ones. | | | | has been the victim of nursing home abuse or |
| But all too often families' expectation for | | | | neglect, please contact a qualified attorney. |
| professionalism, kindness and compassion is | | | | Your lawyer can help you to get the |
| replaced with a shocking reality: abuse. | | | | compensation you deserve for your |
| | | | mistreatment, abuse and neglect. |
| Abuse violations are a serious concern in | | | | |