Skip to main content

Elder Abuse and Neglect in Assisted Living Communities

Undoubtedly, you’ve read or at least heard about the special investigation that the Atlanta Journal Constitution spotlighted last month. Their series, Unprotected, investigated the quality of senior care being provided in Georgia’s personal care homes.

By reviewing all of the state’s personal care homes with 25 or more beds, the AJC produced a harrowing picture of senior care in Georgia.

The reporters compiled the inspection reports filed by Georgia’s Department of Community Health between 2011 and 2015 and the state’s databases of fines and other enforcement actions levied against Georgia’s personal care homes.

For weeks, the AJC offered shocking details of the abuse and neglect pervasive in even the most expensive personal care homes in Georgia.

One of the prosecuting attorneys made a very sobering statement, “I’m very scared about becoming 90 years old right now. It should terrify all of us because that’s a horrible way to live, and we have got to be able to do better than that.”

Unfortunately, this issue is not confined to Georgia.

This report was on the heels of an opinion piece published in the New York Times, “How Not to Grow Old in America.”  This piece asserted that the assisted living industry is making promises it cannot keep.

Vulnerable seniors across the country deserve better care.

 

The findings in the AJC’s special report as well as the comments in the NYT’s article are not shocking to us. Disappointing but not shocking. Working with some of Georgia’s vulnerable adults over the last two decades has given us firsthand knowledge of the gaps in care and in our state’s practices and policies.

There is a large conversation starting about improving senior care.

 

With the growing number of older adults in Georgia (Georgians over the age of 65 are expected to make up 20% of our population by 2030), our legislators and policy makers can no longer afford to ignore the abuse and neglect threatening older adults.

Until major policies change, residents need good advocates.

Family members or other involved individuals must play an active role in the lives of vulnerable adults. Monitoring the care, demanding better services, filing official complaints, and being willing to relocate—-these are all routine parts of being a good advocate for a loved one in a senior care community.

Hurley Elder Care Law can offer that advocacy.

 

Although our attorneys do not prosecute allegations of abuse or neglect (this falls into the scope of work for medical malpractice and other prosecuting attorneys, not elder law attorneys), our team does offer advocacy support. Our attorneys, care coordinators, public benefits specialists, and support staff understand residents’ rights, appropriate standards of care, and how to effectively intervene.

For all of our clients, we provide guidance and advocacy regarding senior care issues.

 A number of our staff members have cared for aging loved ones and have dealt personally with the long-term care world.  In addition to having the professional skills, knowledge, and experience, we all have a personal passion for older adults getting the quality care they deserve. To learn more about the services at Hurley Elder Care Law, please contact our office at (404) 843-0121 or through our website at http://hurleyeclaw.com/contacts/

November 13 Blog

The post Elder Abuse and Neglect in Assisted Living Communities appeared first on Hurley Elder Care Law | Georgia's #1 Certified Elder Law Attorney.



from Hurley Elder Care Law | Georgia's #1 Certified Elder Law Attorney https://ift.tt/32o5pVV
via IFTTT
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Dads and Pops: Your Good Health Matters to Us 

Did you know  June is  Men’s Health Month  and Father’s Day anchors Men’s Health Week ?   Celebrate dad on Father’s Day and thank him for all he  has  done, but  also  make sure to seize an opportunity sometime this month to have a conversation with him about his health. This awareness campaign has the critical purpose of informing men   that avoiding preventive healthcare puts them at real and serious risk of  contracting a disease or  acquiring  a chronic condition.   Studies consistently  show the numbers go against men , particularly as they advance into their senior years.   Even with dramatic advances in diagnosis and treatment over the past 100 years, men’s life expectancy still lags significantly behind women. According to  Harvard Health ,  the gap is widening. In 1900, the life expectancy for women was 48.3 years vs. 46.3 for men. In 2017, it was 81.1 years for women vs. 76.1 for men. Harvard...
Post a Comment
Read more

Memorize These Six Signs of a Scam

An 88-year-old woman is one of the latest victims of the sweepstakes scam. She lost $160,000 in order to get the millions the scammer claimed she’d won through the Publishers Clearing House. She’s not alone. This scam has been around for years and has affected tens of thousands. Be aware of the six signs of a scam to avoid losing money. The Caller Insists You Not Tell Anyone In a scam, the caller will insist that you cannot tell anyone. This is more likely to happen with the grandparent scam. The caller will say that the grandchild’s parents cannot know. Secrecy is important to the “grandchild.” If your parents are told not to tell anyone, it’s very likely a scam. Your parents should immediately report the scam to local authorities or the FTC at 1-877-382-4357. The Contact Arrives Out of the Blue A scam is going to start with a random call, email, or unsolicited mailer. Your parents didn’t enter a contest. It could be a scammer posing as a police officer, IRS representative, or ...
Post a Comment
Read more

How to prepare for eldercare medical emergencies

Older adults are fragile and that is often accompanied by a decline in mobility. This makes them more vulnerable to medical emergencies such as a fall or sudden illness. As these health crises are unexpected and the elderly cannot always take prompt action, you need to be prepared. This will result in saving a lot of crucial moments and getting on-time care for the older adult. We have curated pointers that will give you an insight on how to carefully prepare for the eldercare emergencies and ensure the wellbeing of your elderly.   Doctor on Call  As you begin preparing for the eldercare emergencies, you must assemble a list of doctors and home nursing services that will be available 24×7 to provide emergency facilities. The list will come handy and will result in taking quick action. Samvedna Senior Care offers doctor visits at home for senior citizens in times of emergency. The team of skilled doctors is available round the clock to provide special assistance. The...
Post a Comment
Read more