Los Angeles Nursing Home Attorneys

According to the Public Broadcasting System’s Online NewsHour, there are 17,000 assisted-living facilities operating in the United States and 1.6 million residents in these nursing facilities. While many of these residents live happily and comfortably in their facilities, others are victims of abuse or neglect. In fact, some experts estimate that one in three residents suffers from some form of abuse or neglect. If you feel your loved one has been involved in nursing home abuse, it is imperative to discuss the matter with an experienced Los Angeles nursing home abuse attorney.

There are several facts that contribute to the environment of abuse or neglect that exists in some nursing facilities. For example:

The average occupancy rate of nursing facilities is 88 percent. This means that many facilities are overcrowded and understaffed, preventing staff from fully meeting all the resident’s needs.
Almost half of all residents are 85 years or older. Older residents have greater physical and emotional needs and may place heavy demands on existing staff.
Women are three times more likely to live in nursing facilities than men. Female patients are more vulnerable to certain types of abuse, such as sexual abuse, than their male counterparts.
42 percent of patients suffer from some level of mental disability, primarily some form of dementia. This means that many patients are unable to articulate their needs or report when they are victims of abuse or neglect.
33 percent of patients suffer from clinical depression. Fear of abuse may keep some patients from talking, but many residents fail to report abuse because they do not want to disturb family members or because they believe no one will take them seriously.
Most nursing facilities are for-profit ventures, so the pressure to keep costs low is tremendous. At least 67 percent of all facilities are expected to show a profit each quarter and managers are often promoted or given raises based on the size of the profit. This means that most facilities have a vested interest in keeping down costs by cutting services; this often translates into less hiring of qualified workers, as employees are usually a facility’s largest expenditure.

If you are concerned that your loved one has experienced abuse or neglect in an assisted-care facility, contact experts such as Los Angeles nursing home lawyers immediately. It is very important to handle these types of cases as soon as possible, as abuse can quickly escalate, placing your loved one in danger.

Nursing home attorneys in Los Angeles understand the challenges of proving an abuse case, especially when the victim is non-communicative. Just because your loved one cannot or will not disclose the abuse to you should not stop you from consulting a Los Angeles nursing home attorney. These professional personal injury attorneys have vast experience in finding out about what is really going on in any type of facility and can help you discover the truth about your loved one’s situation. All you have to do is make an appointment for a free consultation with a Los Angeles nursing home lawyer. You can turn over your cares and concerns to this professional and rest assured that your loved one will be protected.

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