When you decide to place your loved one in an assisted living facility, you trust that they will be offered the level of help they need. This is why it is heartbreaking to discover that mistakes are being made or neglect or abuse is ensuing at your loved one’s facility. Follow along to find out why abuse in assisted living facilities might occur and how a proficient New York City hospital negligence attorney at Mark L. Bodner, P.C. can help you and your loved one in this unfortunate situation.
What are examples of assisted living facility abuse?
Assisted living providers make mistakes, or practice neglect or abuse, more commonly than you may realize. Examples of such include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Mistakes made in an assisted living facility:
- Residents are being administered the wrong type of medication.
- Residents are being administered the wrong dosage of their medication.
- Residents are being administered medication without its proper preparation (i.e., crushing, shaking).
- Residents are not being transported to and from their required medical and social services appointments.
- Neglect in an assisted living facility:
- Residents are roaming inside or outside the facility unsupervised.
- Residents are living in unsanitary quarters.
- Residents are malnourished or dehydrated, as seen through their rapid weight loss.
- Residents are not repositioned regularly, as seen through their pressure sores or bed sores.
- Abuse in an assisted living facility:
- Residents are being chemically or physically restrained.
- Residents are being physically abused, as seen through unexplainable cuts, bruises, and injuries.
- Residents are being emotionally abused, as seen through their depression, withdrawal, or mood swings.
- Residents are being sexually abused, as seen through their fearful or intimidated attitude.
Why might abuse in assisted living facilities occur?
Notably, out of 891 respondents of a newly released LeadingAge workforce poll, 70 percent of assisted living providers said that they are still experiencing significant or severe workforce shortages. With that, 64 percent of assisted living providers said that their workforce situation has not improved in the past year.
To compensate for these workforce shortages, remaining assisted living providers are forced to carry heavier workloads. And when assisted living facilities are understaffed and providers are overworked, mistakes, neglect, and abuse of its residents are, unfortunately, more likely to occur.
Regardless, you cannot stand idly by upon discovering that your loved one is being made a victim of abuse or neglect. You must first report the incident to the New York State Adult Protective Services Helpline at 1-844-697-3505. Or in an emergency situation that requires immediate attention, you must call 911. Then, you must turn to a skilled New York City hospital negligence attorney for legal advice regarding a potential claim. Schedule your initial consultation with Mark L. Bodner, P.C. today.