ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
As the number of nursing home residents in the United States has increased, so has the risk for the elderly to be victims of negligence or abuse, say California nursing home abuse attorneys. According to the Kaiser Family Health Foundation, nearly 1.5 million senior citizens in the U.S. now reside in the more than 16,000 nursing homes in the country.
Abuse and neglect in nursing homes is widespread, with the National Center on Elder Abuse estimating that 1 in 20 nursing home patients has been a victim of negligence or abuse. Unintended negligence is the most common cause of nursing home injuries and deaths. Nursing homes are run by corporations, and their nursing facilities are usually understaffed, with studies showing that 1 in 4 are below the suggested staffing levels for all employees. Staff members are also often insufficiently trained.
Nurses’ aides are crucial to providing care in nursing homes, but according to California nursing home abuse attorneys, they are often underpaid and undertrained. Studies estimate that more than half of nursing homes are understaffed in nurses’ aides.
Nursing home administrators’ desire to maximize profits has led to this understaffing and undertraining of caregivers, with the residents’ health suffering as a result. Nursing home staff often has low morale, high absenteeism, and high turnover rates as a result of being overworked and underpaid.
Evans Law Firm, Inc. handles all types of elder abuse cases, including nursing home abuse and negligence lawsuits. If you have seen signs of nursing home abuse or neglect, please contact Evans Law Firm, Inc. at 415-441-8669 or via email at info@evanslaw.com.
