Nursing Home Abuse Attorneys in OKC

Nursing home abuse and neglect can happen anywhere, to anyone. Some studies reveal, however, that certain people and locations are more vulnerable to nursing home abuse than others. Understanding nursing home abuse statistics can help you protect those you love.

A 2003 study by the National Center on Elder Abuse found that nursing home abuse cases occur in all fifty states. About 400,000 cases of elder abuse are reported nationwide each year; approximately 11 percent of these, or 44,000, occur in nursing homes. About 46 percent of these cases nationwide are substantiated, or backed up with evidence.

Just over half, or 53 percent, of those who commit nursing home abuse are women, and 75 percent of perpetrators are under the age of 60. The most common types of nursing home abuse uncovered in the study included:

• not addressing an elderly person's inability to care for him- or herself (37.2 percent);
• neglect by caregivers (20.4 percent);
• financial exploitation (14.7 percent);
• emotional, psychological, or verbal abuse (14.8 percent);
• physical abuse (10.7 percent);
• sexual abuse (1 percent); and
• other types of abuse or neglect (1.2 percent).

Family members are most likely to report nursing home abuse or neglect, followed by social workers and friends or neighbors.

A study of Oklahoma nursing homes conducted for Congress in 2001 found that only about 14 percent of Oklahoma nursing homes are found to be in "full" or "substantial" compliance with safety regulations. About 7.5 percent had at least one violation of federal nursing home safety rules, while the vast majority - 86 percent - had a violation with the potential to cause moderate to serious harm.

The 2001 study concluded, based on the reports, that the 86 percent of nursing homes classified as "potential harm" was misleadingly high, and the 7.5 percent of nursing homes classified as "actual harm" was misleadingly low, since inspectors classified moderate harm as "potential" rather than "actual." Thus, nursing homes in which patients were suffering from improper medical care, malnutrition, or dehydration were classified as having "potential" to harm patients, but not causing "actual" harm to patients - even though patients were arguably suffering as a result of these types of abuse and neglect.

The Congressional study concluded that 12 percent of the nursing homes studied, or 336 of the total, was a more accurate estimate of the Oklahoma nursing homes in which patients were actually suffering abuse or neglect. These nursing homes serve a total of 4,895 residents and receive over $60 million each year in state and federal funding.

The decision to put a beloved family member in a nursing home is never an easy one. Naturally, families want their elderly loved ones to have the best possible care. Many nursing homes strive to provide this care - but others, burdened by understaffing or lacking proper oversight, can be sites of serious injury caused by nursing home abuse or neglect.

Attorney Ray Maples, takes the charge to "respect your elders" seriously, especially when the result of not doing so causes serious harm. If an elderly person you love has been injured, Mr. Maples is herer to help. Contact us today at (405) 883-4487, for a free and confidential case evaluation.