ATTORNEY NEWSLETTER
Santa Clara County elder abuse lawyers say that the recent death of an 82-year-old woman was ruled a homicide by neglect, after she died in her home when her caregivers allowed her to sit in the same chair without moving for six months.
The woman, Barbara Beam, died from a blood clot in her long, and also had a serious infection and deep vein thrombosis, which are clots caused by sitting for long periods of time. The home smelled so bad that firefighters set up a fan when they arrived. The police report noted that there were indentations on the back of her legs and body fluids on the chair. The paramedics removed her from the chair when they arrived, and her body was still bent in a seated position.
The woman lived with her sister and nephew, and elder abuse lawyers say that perpetrators of elder abuse are often family members and caregivers. Prosecutors are still deciding whether to charge Beam’s sister and nephew with her death. The deputy medical examiner who performed her autopsy said that he believed her immobility led to her death.
Santa Clara County elder abuse lawyers say that elder abuse is an increasingly widespread and underreported issue. Elder neglect, failure to fulfill a caretaking obligation, constitutes more than half of all reported cases of elder abuse. It can be intentional or unintentional. Serving as a caregiver for an elderly person can be extremely stressful for nonprofessionals, and may contribute to abuse. Elder abuse lawyers recommend that caregivers experiencing stress should request help from friends, family, and professionals to get a break, adopt stress reduction practices, and find a support group for caregivers of the elderly.
Evans Law Firm, Inc. handles all types of elder abuse cases. If you believe that you or a loved one have been a victim of elder abuse, please contact Evans Law Firm, Inc. at 415-441-8669 or via email at info@evanslaw.com.
