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Nursing home abuse and fraud in California is a constantly growing problem. Los Angeles County is taking steps to further prevent fraud and nursing home abuse in the area. The Los Angeles County officials have made plans, which are being finalized, to hire and reassign 50 social workers and investigators who will spend time looking into fraud among those who care for elders and nursing home residents. By year's end, this strategy will need to be enforced as required by state lawmakers.
In California and most other states, nursing home abuse is a growing concern and constant problem. Elders in nursing homes are physically, mentally, sexually and emotionally abused and neglected on a daily basis. It's crucial that laws protect the nursing home residents from abuse because many are trusting in the nursing homes to continue to care for their loved ones. With stricter checks on nursing home staffs, elders can be safe and healthy in all nursing home environments.
Three California nursing home staff members plead not guilty last week in a Kern Valley Hospital case of forcibly drugging elderly residents. The criminal complaint states that the residents were given psychotropic drugs to calm patients down, which then caused medical complications. Three of the nursing home's patients may have died as a result of the forced medicine. All three defendants are being booked into Kern County Jail and charged with elder abuse and two of them with assault with a deadly weapon.
California Nursing home abuse is a terrible crime that happens all too often. Many nursing home abuse situations can end in death, but also can result in injuries such as broken bones, physical trauma, wounds, bedsores and other internal injuries. It's important to be aware of various nursing home abuse signs and if you notice any then you should be in contact with a nursing home abuse law firm for help and support.
Valley Gardens Health Care, a for-profit nursing home, was caring for patient Robert Doscher when he fell and struck his head twice on the floor causing him to be in a comatose state and soon die. Valley Gardens knew that Doscher was at high risk for falling and should be on a plan where he was checked on every one to two hours. It was also recommended that his room be placed near a nursing station.
However, three days after admittance, Doscher fell and struck his head and was then found by the staff on the floor. This was investigated and it was found that there was no proof that the staff was checking on Doscher every one to two hours, as well as the fact that his room was not near a nursing station.
Just three weeks later, Doscher was found on the floor again. He was soon taken to the hospital in a comatose state where he died within 24 hours. It was found by the California Department of Health that Doscher was inadequately cared for by Valley Gardens.
California Nursing home abuse cases can often result in death. Any number of accidents or injuries can occur in nursing homes including head trauma, broken bones, bedsores and other wounds. When the staff and nursing home neglect patients like Doscher, they should be held responsible for their lack of necessary care.
The Arbor View Rehabilitation and Wellness Center has been fined $100,000 and a AA citation by the California Department of Public Health for causing the death of a patient. The patient was readmitted to the care facility after having a gastrostomy tube inserted. After a dislodging of the feeding tube, a vocational nurse at the Arbor View Rehabilitation and Wellness Center reinserted it incorrectly causing fluid to store in her abdomen instead of her stomach. The citation issued to the Santa Monica Nursing Home is the most severe allotted. To read more about the August 14, 2009 Press Release by the California Advocates for Nursing Home Reform read Santa Monica Nursing Home Fined $100,000 for Death of a Resident Due to Neglect.
Our team of qualified California Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys will work hard to get you the compensation that you deserve if you or a loved one has experienced elder abuse like the example described above. California Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect is serious and can be fatal in extreme cases. Hiring an experienced California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer is the best way to get the justice that you deserve. We have recovered millions for our clients and will treat your case with dignity and respect while fighting to get you a just settlement.
New Hope Care Center in Tracy, California was fined $100,000 for California Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect after a 78 year-old woman died due to a "worsening condition after being admitted with a hip fracture, heart problems, osteoporosis, hypertension and osteoarthritis." New Hope Care Center "failed to properly monitor her medication and failed to check her into an emergency room fast enough when her brain started bleeding." The nursing home's negligence proved to be fatal causing the maximum penalty to be imposed. State regulation requires a high level of care and due diligence in carrying out doctor's orders which was not adhered to in this case. To find out more about the tragedy read New Hope Nursing Home hit with stiff fine after a Death in the Tracy Press.
Unfortunately California Nursing Home Abuse claims are on the rise throughout the state. Too many times elder care facilities are overcrowded and understaffed due to increasing demand. The most important thing you can do if you suspect California Nursing Home Abuse is to contact a qualified California Elder Abuse Lawyer. We have recovered millions for our clients and will fight to get you the compensation you deserve. Fill out our free online California Nursing Home Abuse Case Evaluation now and receive a call back from an experienced California Elder Abuse Attorney.
The Tri-City Medical Center in Oceanside, California was fined early last week for failing to prevent a 91-year-old woman from falling. The elderly woman was admitted to Tri-City after suffering a stroke and paralysis to her right side. She fell from her bed breaking her hip which could not be repaired with surgery. She was considered a "high risk for falls" patient and according to reasonable standards should have been equipped with pads and even a security alarm on her bed to alert hospital workers to potential disasters. Tri-City was fined $25,000 for "failure to ensure the health and safety of a patient when the hospital did not follow its policies and procedures for fall prevention."
Elder Abuse throughout the State of California can be a devastating reality that all too often results in an unnecessary death. Hospitals and Nursing Homes have state mandated procedures that are required to be followed. In cases as here where the proper procedure and policy for "high risk" fall patients was not followed, the hospital must be held accountable. Remember if you or a loved one has been involved in California Nursing Home Abuse or elder neglect you must contact a qualified California Elder Abuse Attorney who will handle your case with dedication and passion in order to get you the compensation that you deserve. Fill out our free online case evaluation today.
Nursing home abuse takes many forms, but the fact is that any type of abuse can lead to negative consequences. If you want to know what the consequences are, check out this long (but in no way comprehensive) list: • Negative self esteem • Lack of self-confidence • Seizures • Comas • Fatalities • Development of aggression • Bruises, cuts, scratches, broken bones, fractures • Concussions • Coma • Malnutrition • Dehydration The Nursing Home Neglect Law Offices of Young and Wallin provides free consultations to all those in need. If you suspect a loved one may be the victim of nursing home neglect or abuse contact Mr. Young immediately to explore your options and preserve your rights. Elder Abuse Attorney Michael Young handles cases throughout California including Fresno, Bakersfield, San Diego, as well as nursing home abuse cases in Riverside, Los Angeles, Orange County and San Bernardino. Mr. Young is also will and able to handle nursing home neglect cases in Northern California including San Francisco, San Jose and Sacramento.
While some fractures occur because of weakness of the bones in elderly nursing home patients, other fractures occur due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. There are many scenarios in which a nursing home resident can sustain a fracture where abuse, neglect, and abandonment are to blame. Some of these situations occur due to a number of reasons. A staff member may get impatient and grab a patient’s arm or shove them and cause a fracture in another part of the body. Slips and falls may lead to fractures when residents are unsupervised and not monitored properly. Residents may slip on a wet surface, fall out of bed, slip on the bathroom floor, or trip over any obstacles in their way. All of these things can lead to fractures that can be hard to heal for nursing home residents. Abusive staff members who have opportunities for abuse may actually forcefully break the arm of a nursing home resident if they become angry or if they feel like the resident must be punished for some reason. This is one of the most sinister forms of abuse that takes place in a nursing home setting. If your loved one has sustained a fracture due to the abuse, neglect, or abandonment of nursing home staff members, contacting a San Diego nursing home abuse attorney can help you to document your case and make the nursing home accountable for the actions of its staff members. For questions about Nursing Home Abuse in Southern California you can contact Southern California Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Michael Young to discuss you or your loved ones situation. The Elder Abuse Law Offices of Young and Wallin serve all counties in Southern California, including nursing home neglect cases in Los Angeles, nursing home neglect cases in Riverside, nursing home negligence matters in Orange County, as well as San Bernardino and San Diego. Contact us if you would like more information on how you can put an end to nursing home abuse in southern California.
Infections often occur even with good care and attention from nursing home staff members because elderly people often have weakened immune systems and are not able to fight disease as well as younger people. However, these infections can be controlled with medication and proper monitoring. Other infections can develop when staff members fail to maintain sanitary conditions or when residents go without medication or personal care. These infections can be dangerous if left unchecked and can develop into more serious conditions or even lead to death. Some of the infections that can develop due to nursing home neglect include • Pneumonia • Urinary tract infection • Infected bed sores or skin wounds • Upper respiratory infections • Eye infections All of these infections can occur when residents are neglected or their medical needs are not attended to properly. This is especially true with bed sores and skin wounds that become infected because nursing home staff members do not do dressing changes frequently enough or do not turn patients in bed to ensure that bed sores don’t occur. Existing infections can also become worse when neglect takes place, leading from an easily treatable infection to sepsis or even death. If you feel that you have a case for nursing home abuse, contact a San Bernardino nursing home abuse lawyer to find out how you can get help for your loved one. If you have questions or comments and have concerns about the care a loved on is receiving at a California nursing home facility please feel free to contact Nursing Home Neglect Attorney Michael Young for a FREE NURSING HOME ABUSE CONSULTATION on your nursing home abuse matter. The California Nursing Home Abuse Law Offices of Young and Wallin has offices throughout southern California to serve you including an elder abuse law office in Orange County, Riverside and San Bernardino County. Mr. Young handles nursing home neglect cases throughout the state of California on a case by case basis.
There are many causes of infection in nursing homes where neglect occurs. Most of these causes involve residents not getting the right medications or the hygiene care needed to keep infection at bay. Some of the major causes of infections due to nursing home neglect are
Continue reading "How Abuse and Neglect Lead to Infections in Nursing Home Residents" »
While some fractures occur because of weakness of the bones in elderly nursing home patients, other fractures occur due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. There are many scenarios in which a nursing home resident can sustain a fracture where abuse, neglect, and abandonment are to blame.
Continue reading "Reasons Fractures Occur Due to Nursing Home Abuse" »
One of the most common results of abuse or neglect is fractures sustained during falls or when an abuser gets too physical with a resident.
Continue reading "Types of Fractures Experienced Due to Abuse and Neglect" »
Pressure Ulcers May Indicate Problems with Nursing Home Care
It is estimated that 2.5 million pressure ulcers are treated each year in acute care facilities in the United States, at a cost of about $11 billion.
Pressure ulcers, also known as pressure sores, bedsores, and decubitus ulcers are a result of unrelieved pressure on the skin. When a person remains in one position too long, without moving, the skin can break down. Excessive moisture or friction on the skin may also contribute to pressure ulcers.
Continue reading "Pressure Ulcers May Indicate Problems with Nursing Home Care" »
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