An opinion piece posted two weeks ago in the Jacksonville Time-Union in Jacksonville, Florida suggests the state needs to do a much better job of regulating it’s nursing homes on behalf of its citizens.
The article references a federal report issued by the Inspector General for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Per the newspaper, the reports says:
About 1 in 5 nursing home patients transported to emergency rooms in 2016 showed signs of abuse or neglect.
– from page 8 of the report.
Quite a shocking number.
The patients (across the country, not just here in Florida) were victims of abuse, neglect or unknown injuries.
The report describes these as:
Neglect: Failure to provide goods and services necessary to avoid physical harm, mental anguish, or mental illness.
Abuse: The willful infliction of injury, unreasonable confinement, intimidation, or punishment with resulting physical harm, pain,or mental anguish.
Injuries of unknown source: An injury is classified as an “injury of unknown source” when both of the following conditions are met: (1) the source of the injury was not observed by any person or could not be explained by the resident and(2) the injury is suspicious because of its extent or location (e.g., the injury is located in an area not generally vulnerable to trauma) or because of the number of injuries observed at one time or the number of injuries over time.
Raising awareness:
These are our family members, parents and grandparents. The Jacksonville Time-Union has used it’s voice to help continue raising awareness of elder care issues here in Florida.
They suggest, “with its high numbers of senior citizens, Florida should be on the cutting edge of addressing geriatric care” – making progress by increasing the numbers of physicians who specialize in the care of seniors, addressing mental care issues with seniors and accepting federal funds to expand Medicaid within the state.
As a law firm focusing on nursing home abuse and neglect claims, we recognize the impact that awareness articles like this one can have in better amplifying the concerns of so many people here in Florida.
When news stories like this one happen with regularity – Jacksonville Area Nursing Home Workers Accused of Abusing 85 Year Old Patient – we know there has to be a continuing commitment to welfare of our senior population.
For more information regarding possible nursing home and assisted living facility abuse claims – or just to ask questions of a Florida nursing home attorney, please call our office today at 305-712-6355.
