Despite greater awareness, nursing home abuse is still running rampant in the United States. Our elderly family, friends, and neighbors are still being neglected to the point where serious harm can come to them. And many of them are being forced to try to survive in absolutely terrible living conditions.
Neglect or physical abuse is any failure or any action that can cause unreasonable misery, suffering, harm, or injury to the resident of a nursing home that is caused by a healthcare provider.
Financial abuse includes misusing the resident’s funds to pay for services that have already been paid by a federal or state program. It could also be the misuse of nursing home resident’s funds that weren’t authorized by the resident, the trustee, the guardian, or the administrator of the resident.
Physical abuse includes sexually assaulting the resident, striking the resident, and/or withholding adequate or necessary physical care, food, or medical attention.
It’s been almost ten years since the Special Investigations Division of the House Government Reform Committee issued a special report about nursing home abuse. The report found that nursing home abuse was a significant and widespread problem.
That report found that in only two years, 1999 and 2000, there were more than 9,000 cases of reported abuse in 30% of the nursing homes in the US.
In other words, there was nursing home abuse in almost 5,200 residences that are responsible for the well being of some of our elderly population. Sadly, much of the abuse actually harmed the residents. In excess of 1,500 of the cases that were reported to Congress were so severe as “to cause actual harm to residents or to place the residents in immediate jeopardy of death or serious injury.”
The abuses that were reported included sexual abuse, physical abuse, verbal abuse, and more.
Abuse violations had risen dramatically from 1966 to 2000. They skyrocketed from 5.9% to 16%. And many of the nursing homes were repeat offenders. They had multiple reports of violations on their records. The percentage of assisted living and nursing home violations is on the rise.
The homes that were cited in the report accommodate more than half a million residents.
If you see any of the warning signs of sexual or physical abuse or if you believe that a criminal act has been perpetrated then you should contact an attorney who specializes in nursing home abuse.
Question by ladybug: Hi I wrote an article on nursing home abuse, and I don’t know what magazine I should submit it to.?
the New Yorker? Wall Street Journal? O magazine? any ideasss
please telll =)
Best answer:
Answer by shiningstar123
Maybe you should send it to all 3, that way there would be a greater chance of it being published. Hope I helped!
Give your answer to this question below!

Local Advocate for Victims and Families of Nursing Home Abuse Denounces Last-Minute Rule Change by Bush Administration
Wood River, IL (PRWEB) March 1, 2009
Brad Lakin of LakinChapman, LLC, a noted advocate for victims and families of nursing home abuse, denounced last-minute rule changes by the Bush Administration that will benefit the $ 144 billion nursing home industry and make it harder for families to investigate claims of abuse.
This change was just one of a large array of “midnight” rule changes put forward by the Bush Administration during the last weeks before the transition.
Lakin said, “The Bush Administration quietly slipped in this major rule change just before leaving office. The effect is going to be extremely damaging to victims and families of nursing home abuse and will make it more difficult for them to investigate claims of abuse as part of a lawsuit.”
The rule itself designates that state nursing home inspectors and Medicare and Medicaid contractors are federal employees, and thus are prohibited from providing evidence in a lawsuit.
Lakin explained, “Families investigating abuse claims by filing a lawsuit will be prohibited from interviewing and collecting evidence of abuse form these inspectors. The interviews and evidence collected by these state employees can be crucial in establishing abuse claims.”
The 6,800 state nursing home inspectors are the front line of defense for victims as they investigate complaints and survey facilities to make certain they comply with nursing home regulations.
“This rule change may have a significant chilling effect on lawsuits designed to uncover and protect nursing home abuse. Advocates for nursing home abuse victims will be working to overturn these unfair, pro-industry rules. I urge anyone with family members in nursing homes to contact their Congressional representatives immediately,” Lakin said.
Lakin is the author of a guide for families with loved ones in a nursing home that is available for free at http://www.nursinghomechoice.com.
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