Articles Posted in Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect

State officials are planning to force the closure of an Arlington, Florida nursing home after alleging a number of serious violations, including a finding that the facility allowed residents to harm each other, the Florida Times-Union reported.

It is the latest disturbing news from Florida’s troubled nursing home system. Our Fort Lauderdale nursing home neglect lawyers and Palm Beach elder abuse attorneys were disheartened by the passing of a recent measure that will permit nursing assistants to provide less care to patients.

The minimum-care hours were put in place as part of an agreement that limited a patient’s ability to collect damages in some cases. The industry successfully fought to reduce the care limits. The lawsuit limits remain in place. (Be sure to thank your lawmaker).

In this case, the Agency for Health Care Administration revoked the license of Glenwood Nursing Center and gave it until next month to relocate its 107 residents. The agency alleges a host of abuse and neglect issues due to a lack of monitoring. The facility has been sued for the death and rape of residents.

In other Florida nursing home news, a Polk County jury has awarded a $114 million verdict in a nursing home abuse case that resulted in the death of an elderly woman. The 76-year-old woman fell within two weeks of being admitted. She suffered head trauma, a broken arm and other injuries from which she never recovered.

Those considering a Florida nursing home can find a ranking system on the federal nursing home comparison website.

We encourage you to do your homework when selecting a Florida nursing home. Over half of all nursing homes are part of a large chain corporation operating for-profit companies. Choosing the proper home and monitoring the condition and well-being of a relative is crucial. Anyone who has concerns about the conditions of a local nursing home or who suspects a case of nursing home neglect and abuse, should consult an attorney. It is the responsibility of each of us to police the system and insure the care and dignity of our vulnerable older adults.
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Volunteers are needed for Florida’s Long-Term Care Ombudsmen Program, which advocates for the care of Florida nursing home residents, TCPalm reported.

Our St. Lucie nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers urge those with time to consider volunteering for this important program. The program operates under the Florida Department of Elder Affairs. Two or three paid staffers and about 400 volunteers work out of 17 offices throughout the state, where they monitor long-term care facilities.

“Ombudsmen are first and foremost advocates,” said Elizabeth Davis, the program spokeswoman. “We focus on residents, their needs, desires and concerns, and if a resident needs someone to speak on his or her behalf, we’ll be there to do that. We want to help facilities improve the quality of care they offer.”

Volunteers check on the quality of care residents receive, which includes the cleanliness of rooms and facilities, the quality of food, and the responsiveness of staff to the needs of residents. In facilities that have been the subject of complaints, Ombudsmen get 24-hour access and can arrive unannounced to investigate. Volunteers also work to help avoid issues like bed sores, falls and neglect.

The Fort Pierce office has 19 members, who meet monthly to go over complaints and discuss investigations.

We believe it is incumbent upon all of us to monitor the nursing home system and protect older residents from neglect or abuse. Nationwide, nearly 16,000 nursing homes care for 1.7 million elderly residents. In Florida, 676 nursing homes serve more than 71,000 residents, according to the American Health Care Association.

Nationwide, more than half of all nursing homes are part of a large chain corporation and two-thirds are operated as for-profit companies.

The Florida Ombudsman program offers a number of resources:

–Read Florida Nursing Home Resident Rights.

-File an abuse of neglect complaint involving a Florida nursing home.

–Contact elder care advocacy groups.
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