Nursing Home Neglect

This year, May 30 will be observed as National Health and Fitness Day for older adults. On this day, more than 100,000 seniors nationwide will participate in local events at more than 1,000 locations. The goal of this national event is to promote the importance of regular physical activity and to showcase the work that local groups are doing to improve the health and fitness of older adults in their respective communities.

Activities will take place at retirement communities, health clubs, senior centers, parks, hospitals, YMCAs, houses of worship, banks, and other locations. The nature of the events will vary widely based on what local seniors are interested in and on the organization that is hosting the events. Activities may include walking, low-impact exercises, health information, workshops, and screenings.

With aging baby boomers making up a significant portion of Oklahoma’s population, it is important for us to ensure that our seniors are active and healthy. A healthy lifestyle can help our seniors continue to remain independent. Many community centers nationwide not only offer physical activities, but also activities that keep the brain energized and active.

It is also important that nursing homes in Oklahoma take the cue and incorporate physical activities into their daily calendar. If you are about to choose a nursing home for your loved one, please pick one that places emphasis on your loved one’s physical, mental, and emotional well-being. However, if you or a loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, please contact an Oklahoma nursing home abuse attorney at the Maples Law Firm at (888) 226-6159 for a free, comprehensive, and confidential consultation.

A Boston Globe report based on government data has found that a number of the nation’s nursing homes are wrongfully using anti-psychotic drugs to silence residents who display hostile or combative behavior. According to a news report in USA Today, the Globe’s investigation found that a Massachusetts nursing home was administering dangerous anti-psychotic drugs to 19 percent of its residents, even those who did not have a diagnosis for which the drugs are recommended.

These drugs, usually prescribed for those suffering from schizophrenia, can have powerful side effects, including dizziness, abnormal heart rhythm, sudden drop in blood pressure, blurred vision, or even death. The Globe’s investigation also found that just in the year 2010, 185,000 nursing home residents nationwide received these drugs against the recommendation of federal nursing home regulators. Many of the patients who received these drugs were those suffering from Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Some nursing homes are using the defense that they “have to” use these drugs on some patients to prevent them from hurting others or themselves. These drugs are used as “chemical restraints” instead of physical restraints. But in many of the nation’s understaffed nursing homes, these dangerous drugs are being used to simply subdue patients. When staff members do not have the time to provide care or attention to these “demanding” patients, they are put to sleep with these powerful medications. This inhumane practice amounts to nursing home neglect and abuse.

If you believe that your loved one is being given unnecessary medications at a nursing home, you have the right to demand an inquiry and file a complaint with nursing home administrators. If your loved one has suffered serious side effects as a result of these medications, please contact an experienced Oklahoma nursing home abuse lawyer at the Maples Law Firm. We will fight for your rights and ensure that the negligent parties are held accountable. Please contact us at (888) 226-6159 for a no-cost consultation.

Nursing homes nationwide are “woefully unprepared” to protect frail residents in the event of natural disasters such as tornadoes, hurricanes, and floods, government officials say. According to a news report in The Huffington Post, Oklahoma is one of the top 10 disaster-prone states ranked by historical statistics. The government requires nursing homes to come up with emergency plans specifying details such as coordinating with local authorities, notifying relatives, or pinning nametags and medication lists to residents in the event of an evacuation. Even seven years after Hurricane Katrina when the vulnerability of nursing homes was exposed, very little has been done to ensure that nursing home residents will be safe in the event of a major disaster.

This is particularly important because millions in the United States live in nursing homes. According to available data, more than 3 million people in the United States spent at least some time in a nursing home during the year 2009. Nearly 40 percent of those individuals, about 1.2 million, were in the top 10 disaster-prone states, including Oklahoma. A typical nursing home resident is a woman in her 80s or older who is dealing with physical or mental issues that make her dependent on others to carry out everyday activities.

It is the responsibility of nursing homes to ensure that their residents are safe and secure under all circumstances. Nursing homes are required to screen employees or prospective workers, keep their premises safe, and to make sure that their residents who depend on them receive quality care. Often, this does not happen because of nursing homes that try to cut corners and maximize their profits by understaffing their facilities and neglecting their frail residents.

If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, an experienced Oklahoma City nursing home negligence lawyer at Maples Law Firm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at (888) 226-6159 to find out how we can help you.

An Oklahoma bill that would protect nursing home patients by requiring a fingerprint background check program for long-term care facilities is in jeopardy of dying a quiet death on the Senate floor. According to a news report in Tulsa World, House Bill 2582 sets up a system that would fingerprint all new employees applying to certain jobs in nursing homes and other care facilities. The fingerprints would then be submitted to the FBI (Federal Bureau of Investigation) for a national criminal background check.

If the employee had a prior disqualifying offense, such as abuse by caretaker, that would prevent the person from working at the nursing home or care facility. Currently, prospective applicants for nursing home jobs have a criminal background check on their name only. Also, the background check is only done statewide and does not include other states unless the employee discloses that he or she worked in another state. The bill has passed the House, but has not been heard in the Senate. The bill is in danger of dying if it does not get a hearing in the Senate soon.

Several groups, including the American Association for Retired Persons, the Oklahoma Aging Partnership, and other industry associations for nursing homes, have endorsed this bill, which will go a long way in protecting Oklahoma seniors against OK nursing home abuse. The current system does not do a good job of protecting nursing home residents because the background checks are not thorough. A 2005 study found that 52 nursing aides who were certified to practice in Oklahoma had a criminal record in 16 other states.

It is a nursing home’s responsibility to ensure that employees are properly screened before they are allowed to care for or interact with residents. If you or a loved one has been the victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, an experienced Oklahoma nursing home abuse lawyer at Maples Law Firm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at (888) 226-6159 to find out how we can help.

A nursing home in Oklahoma City has fired two employees who were accused of abusing a 96-year-old patient with dementia. Quail Creek Nursing and Rehabilitation Center fired the two female employees, ages 23 and 28, after they were both arrested by police on one complaint each of neglect by caretaker. One of the nursing assistants was caught on camera shoving latex gloves into the patient’s mouth as the other watched. The video also shows the worker lift the patient into bed and the push the side of her face to force her to lie down. The for-profit facility is owned by Westlake Nursing Home L.P. of Dallas, Texas, and has 92 residents in its care.

Nursing home abuse and neglect are becoming an epidemic in the United States. According to the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA), there are many different types of abuse that occur at nursing homes. There are signs and symptoms of abuse and neglect that family members would be well advised to watch out for. The common symptoms of physical abuse include slap marks, bruises, burns, or blisters. Signs of neglect may include pressure ulcers, filthy appearance, malnutrition, lack of medical care, or dehydration. Seniors who suffer emotional abuse may become withdrawn or show other behavioral changes. A sudden change in the patient’s finances or accounts may be indicative of financial abuse.

Victims of nursing home neglect or abuse may be able to recover compensation from the negligent nursing home for their suffering and losses. Filing a civil suit is often the only legal recourse nursing home victims and their families have to hold the facility accountable. If you or a loved one has been a victim of nursing home abuse or neglect, the experienced nursing home abuse lawyers in Oklahoma City at the Maples Law Firm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at (888) 226-6159 for a no-cost consultation and comprehensive case evaluation.

A recent federal study asserts the need for The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) to improve the tools it uses to assess the quality of nursing home care, McKnights Long Term Care News reports. According to a Government Accountability Office (GAO) report conducted at the request of Senators Charles Grassley (R-IA) and Herb Kohl (D-WI), CMS “has not established quality measures or performance goals” to evaluate the quality of patient care in our nation’s nursing homes through the Quality Indicator Survey process.

For example, GAO found that during resident interviews, surveyors did not consistently look for further information when they were provided with incomplete answers. Senator Kohl said that the purpose of the survey is to get the information necessary to help provide nursing home residents quality care.

As more and more baby boomers head into our nation’s nursing homes, it becomes an issue of national importance to ensure that our seniors are provided with quality care. However, nursing home abuse and neglect continues to be a significant problem nationwide. Not only are a number of our vulnerable seniors physically, emotionally, sexually, or financially abused, but they are also neglected while in the care of a nursing home. Sometimes, the abuse or neglect results in serious injury or death to the nursing home resident. This is unacceptable for families that entrust their loved ones to the care of a specialized facility that is paid to provide quality care.

If your loved one has been abused or neglected in a care facility, the experienced Oklahoma City nursing home abuse attorneys at the Maples Law Firm can help you better understand your legal rights and options. Please contact us at (888) 226-6159 for a free, comprehensive and confidential consultation.

Nursing home abuse comes in many forms and it is often challenging to detect. If you suspect that your loved one has been abused emotionally, financially, physically, or sexually, please do not hesitate to take immediate action. You may be able to protect your loved one from further harm while pursuing compensation for their suffering. In some cases, you can help prevent future incidents by holding the at-fault parties accountable for their actions.

The first step is to determine if abuse has actually occurred. There are many signs of OK nursing home abuse and it is important to determine the validity of your concerns. Does your loved one have injuries that are not listed on their medical reports? Have there been significant changes in your loved one’s behavior? You may want to discuss your suspicions with your loved one and with other residents. If you believe that abuse is occurring, it is important to notify the authorities right away and to contact an experienced nursing home abuse lawyer to discuss your legal rights and options.

You may also want to contact the Oklahoma Adult Protective Services. You will need to provide the name of the nursing home, information about the resident, and any details you have about the suspected abuse. Additionally, it may also be in your best interest to speak with the state Ombudsman who can act as an advocate for you and your family.

The skilled Oklahoma nursing home neglect lawyers at the Maples Law Firm have a long history of protecting victims of nursing home abuse and their families. If you are worried that your loved one is being mistreated in an Oklahoma nursing care facility, please call our offices right away at (888) 226-6159 for a free consultation.

Hidden camera images obtained from a skilled nursing care center in Cleveland, Ohio, show disturbing footage of nursing aides manhandling a 78-year-old Alzheimer’s patient. According to a Channel 3 news report, the nursing home, Prentiss Center for Skilled Nursing Care, is under fire after the hidden camera installed by the patient’s son caught caregivers brutally abusing his elderly mother. One of the aides is seen on the hidden camera throwing the patient from her chair on to the bed and in another instance throwing her back on to the chair and then jabbing her on the face. That aide has been charged with felony assault and has pleaded not guilty. The other woman, who is seen almost dropping the patient due to rough handling, has also been fired from her job.

The woman’s son installed the camera after nursing home administrators ignored his complaints that his mother was being mistreated at the facility. Family members say the videos have devastated them emotionally. Nursing home administrators say they had actually looked into the son’s claims, but did not find any wrongdoing. The son said the videos proved to be the smoking gun and that he wished they had done something sooner.

Nursing home abuse is an unfortunate and sad reality. There may be several reasons why such abuse may take place in a nursing home. In some cases, these facilities do not perform proper background checks on their employees. Other nursing homes keep their facilities understaffed or hire unqualified nursing aides in order to save money. When a facility is filled with underpaid and overworked nursing aides, there is an environment created that is ripe for abuse and neglect.

Victims of nursing home abuse would be well advised to seek the counsel of an experienced lawyer who will fight for their rights and ensure that the wrongdoers are held accountable. This type of abuse against our elderly is absolutely unacceptable. If your loved one has been abused or neglected in a nursing home, please contact the Oklahoma nursing home abuse attorneys at the Maples Law Firm. Please contact us at (888) 226-6159 for a free and comprehensive consultation.

Nursing home abuse and neglect is a serious health concern in Oklahoma and nationwide. It is highly unfortunate that our elders, who deserve to be treated with the utmost level of care, dignity and respect, are often abused and neglected as the result of profiteering nursing home owners who fail to hire enough staff, fail to hire properly trained staff, and/or fail to provide appropriate supplies for daily living. Ray Maples, an experienced personal injury attorney in Oklahoma, has handled many cases related to nursing home abuse and neglect and finds this lack of duty and care unacceptable.

The mistreatment of elders in Oklahoma nursing homes is a serious cause for concern. In an effort to help Oklahomans better understand the common issues associated with nursing homes and what steps they can take in order to protect their loved ones from harm and neglect, Ray Maples has authored an educational book entitled Restore the Dignity and offers it as a valuable resource in the fight against elder abuse and neglect. Having handled many cases related to the ongoing problems in nursing homes, Mr. Maples has a thorough understanding of how Oklahoma nursing homes operate and considers it his duty to make this knowledge available to his fellow Oklahomans.

Restore the Dignity covers various topics, including: how to choose a nursing home for your loved one; what signs to look for once your loved one is in the nursing home; and, very importantly, what to do if your loved one becomes a victim of nursing home abuse and/or neglect. The decision to place a loved one in a nursing home is difficult, but this book can provide you with the answers you need to make the process easier. For a copy of Restore the Dignity, please visit http://www.restorethedignity.com.

If you or a loved one has been injured or suffered illness as the result of nursing home abuse or neglect, you have the right to pursue financial compensation through civil action. The dedicated nursing home abuse neglect attorneys in Oklahoma City at the Maples Law Firm are committed to obtaining maximum compensation for all that you have suffered. To learn more about your legal rights and options, call us today at (888) 226-6159 or (405) 551-8864 for a free consultation.

When we entrust our loved ones to the care of a nursing home, we expect quality care and a safe environment. However, that does not always happen. When nursing homes attempt to cut corners and put profits ahead of the people they serve, it creates an environment that is ripe for abuse and neglect. Signs of nursing home neglect may not be easy to spot. This is why it is critical that you visit your loved one often and keep your eyes open for any symptoms of neglect or abuse.

Some of the most common signs of neglect are: excessive or rapid weight loss, poor personal hygiene, uncombed or knotted hair, dirty clothing, urine or feces on bedding or clothing, bedsores, and a malnourished appearance. These are the obvious symptoms of neglect. Many serious cases of neglect also involve lack of supervision, scarcity of facility staff, and failure to follow doctor’s orders. For example, lack of supervision can result in a patient suffering a fall. There have also been cases where a doctor might order the patient to eat only semi-solid or liquid food. However, if the patient is not supervised at mealtime, he or she may eat solid food and choke on it. Such incidents have proved fatal for nursing home residents.

Neglect can occur at many different levels in Oklahoma nursing homes. It can happen because the facility is understaffed. Neglect can also occur because of poorly trained, underpaid nursing home staff. Regardless of the reason, it puts your loved one in danger. If you see signs of abuse or neglect, please promptly report it to the nursing home’s administrators.

If you do not see a change or if you experience retaliation, or if your loved one has been seriously injured as a result of such negligence, please contact an experienced Oklahoma City nursing home abuse lawyer who will fight for your rights and make sure that the negligent parties are held accountable. The knowledgeable personal injury attorneys at the Maples Law Firm have a successful track record of helping injured victims and their families obtain fair compensation for their damages and losses. Please contact us at (888) 226-6159 for a free and comprehensive consultation.