NURSING HOME NEGLECT / ELDER ABUSE

Entrusting your loved one to a nursing home or other elder care facility can be a difficult decision. If you make the tough decision to place your loved one in an elder care facility you should still monitor them to ensure they are well taken care of, and not abused or taken advantage of.

The nursing home industry has changed over time from an industry once dominated by small retirement homes, government-run facilities, and responsible religious entities to today’s  large companies concerned with profit, and not necessarily the quality of care provided to your family members.

The industry boom has led to limited oversight, and as a result, your loved ones’ needs suffer to the detriment of their health and well-being.  Sadly, our loved ones’ when entrusted to others can find themselves victims of:

• Physical abuse
• Emotional abuse
• Mental abuse
• Sexual abuse
• Financial abuse
• Verbal abuse
• Willful neglect
• Passive neglect
• Wandering or elopement
• Resident-on-resident abuse
• Systemic bullying
• Chemical abuse
• Confinement
• Unsafe premises

HAS YOUR LOVED ONE BEEN HURT, NEGLECTED AND/OR ABUSED IN A NURSING HOME, ASSISTED LIVING FACILITY OR REHABILITATION CENTER?

If your loved one is telling you stories that seem “far-fetched” or  “unbelievable”  listen it may be a sign of Nursing Home Neglect or Elder abuse!  Also, it is important to visit your loved one often and at unscheduled times to check up on the conditions of the facility and attitude and behavior of “ALL” of their employees.

WHAT ARE COMMON SIGNS OF NURSING HOME NEGLECT/ELDER ABUSE?

The Alabama Aging and Disability Resource Center provides important tips on recognizing elder abuse and how to go about eliminating it.  Several other ways of determining if elder abuse exists:

• Bedsores
• Unexplained and recurring bruises
• Dehydration or malnutrition
• Consistently poor hygiene
• Extreme fear or anxiety
• Unexplained infections
• Unexplained injuries

It is important that you follow up on any abnormalities in your loved one’s behavior, physical appearance, or nursing home situation.  If you suspect Nursing Home / Elder Abuse, we encourage you to document the negligence/abuse (take photos and file reports with management) in a timely fashion to remedy the issues surrounding your loved one’s care.

ARE THERE TIME LIMITS FOR FILING A LAWSUIT IN ALABAMA?

Alabama has a law called a “statute of limitations” which sets a lime limit for filing different kinds of lawsuits. For personal injury matters like Nursing Home Abuse, the time limit in Alabama is two years, meaning you must file a lawsuit against any potential defendant within two years of the date of your accident. (See Ala. Code. Sec. 6-2-38.)  If you fail to file your claim within the two-year period? In most cases, your claim will be time-barred, meaning you will be unable to recover anything from those who are responsible for your injuries.

So, it’s crucial to understand and abide by the statute of limitations.