Lawyer Resources for Assisted Living Facilities

For many people who are not quite ready for a full nursing care facility, assisted living facilities provide the perfect compromise between receiving more assistance and still maintaining some independence. Even though these residents are oftentimes in better health and more independent than those in a nursing home, that does not mean they do not rely on their caregivers. Because of this reliance, those living in assisted living facilities are at risk for neglect, injury, possibly even abuse when the assisted care center is not managed properly.

The need for a safe environment

The main reason that older citizens move towards these assisted living facilities is that they want to reduce their risk of harm or injury. They may become increasingly reliant on others to help them. If the staff does not do its duty, it is possible for accidents to occur. Some of the most commonly seen injuries in an assisted care center include:

• Malnutrition – Especially as patients get older, it is important to eat the necessary calories and nutrients. Otherwise, their health may deteriorate even faster. Many elderly patients may have specific diets that they need to follow, for example, low sodium diets for people with high blood pressure.
• Falls – Not only are patients over the age of 65 more susceptible to falls, a fall is also far more likely to cause serious injury after that age. According to the CDC, every year, one in three older adults will experience a fall. In fact, CDC statistics from 2009 show that 19,000 adults suffered fatal injuries because of a fall that year.
• Supervision – Even though the residents maintain a level of independence, the staff is still responsible for supervision. If the staff is not adequately trained or if there is not enough staff available, it may lead to injuries that may have otherwise have been prevented.

Abuse in assisted living facilities

Unfortunately, whether intentional or unintentional, the reported number of abuse incidents in assisted care centers has increased in the last two decades. While these patients have a better cognitive function and more mobility than those in a nursing home, they are still prone to neglect and abuse. Some of the types of neglect and abuse occurring at assisted living facilities to keep an eye out for include:

• Neglect – A patient who moves into an assisted care facility still requires some assistance. It is never acceptable that a patient is neglected in relates to their personal hygiene, medical needs, or nutritional needs.
• Physical – This is perhaps the easiest type of abuse to identify. Using physical force to ‘discipline’ or hurt residents is never acceptable.
• Sexual – We can expect that the staff at an assisted living facility is going to protect those entrusted to them from sexual abuse, both from other residents and employees.
• Emotional – One of the most difficult forms of abuse to identify, emotionally abusing, bullying, or harassing residents can have a devastating impact.
• Financial – Financial abuse is an increasingly common form of abuse for the elderly. It is important that residents be protected against identity theft, money embezzlement, and being stolen from by employees or residents.

Abuse in assisted living facilities is never acceptable. Learning how to identify possible signs and reporting those to the proper authority is the only way to enact change.

Attorneys For Mistreatment, Abuse & Injury At Assisted Living Facilities

Due to their unique licensing structure, assisted living facilities are controlled by very different laws than nursing homes. Consequently, cases involved an injury at an assisted living facility must be approached differently and require the expertise of a law firm who appreciates this distinction. If your family member sustained an injury during and admission to an assisted living facility, we invite you to contact Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers for a consultation relating to your legal options. As with all of our elder abuse cases, we only charge a legal fee if there is a recovery for your family. Call us anytime (800) 926-7565