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Nursing Home Abuse in Wellington
Elder Abuse by the Numbers
A national study commissioned by the National Center on Elder Abuse called on the experiences of nationwide adult protective services workers and revealed:
- More than half a million complaints per year alleging abuse of elderly and vulnerable adults
- Nearly 200,000 of those complaints were substantiated by protective services investigations
- Nearly 85,000 complaints involve self-neglect by older Americans
- 24% of complaints involved neglect by caregivers
- One-fifth of complaints were based on suspected financial abuse
- Two-thirds of elder abuse victims are female
- 43% of abuse victims are 80 or older
Source: National Center on Elder Abuse.
To report elder abuse in Wellington or Palm Beach County: Call the elder abuse hotline at 561-214-8600
Wellington rose out of what was once swampy land and strawberry fields perched on the edge of the Everglades. Owned by New York investor Charles O. Wellington, the property didn’t undergo development until the early 1970s, long after Wellington’s death. An extensively planned Palm Beach County community, the Village of Wellington incorporated in December of 1995. Now an affluent community recognized as a world-class equestrian center, Wellington is among Money Magazine’s Top 100 Best Places to Live.
Just as the Village of Wellington takes pride in its reputation for excellent living, the Wellington nursing home neglect and elder abuse lawyers at Freeman Injury Law, are pleased to be a top choice of local residents who need proven legal skills to combat the effects of elder abuse and neglect. Our firm’s experienced elder abuse attorneys serve clients throughout South Florida, providing the strong advocacy and representation needed when nursing homes or other caregivers cause harm.
Only about 3% of Florida’s 671 nursing homes don’t receive citations for deficiencies in an average year, according to figures published by the state. With an estimated 70,000-plus residents statewide, nursing homes that fail to provide high quality care have the potential to cause problems for unsuspecting and defenseless seniors who rely on them. The most commonly noted deficiencies in nursing home care range from failure to meet established standards to issues with food preparation to problems with resident medications.
The Wellington nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys at our firm know that one of the top areas of concern about nursing homes is their failure to take adequate measures to control the spread of infections. MRSA and other infections that resist treatment can easily strike already-frail elderly residents. Those too weak even to turn over in bed must depend on often overworked staff to move them. When that attention doesn’t come, immobility can cause residents to develop bedsores. In turn, those open wounds act as gateways to the bloodstream for bacteria and infections such as sepsis can occur.
Falls also cause problems for elderly citizens, both in and out of nursing homes. Our nursing home neglect lawyers know that elderly residents of Wellington and other Palm Beach County communities are subject to injuries caused by falls. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention note that one out of every three Americans aged 65 or older can expect to fall within a year’s time. For nursing home residents, the rate is twice that. Injuries from nonfatal falls affect more than 2 million older citizens each year, hospitalizing more than a half-million.
Our Wellington elder abuse attorneys know that other problems can bring harm to our older friends and neighbors within the community, too. Elder abuse takes a toll on seniors nationwide, and the National Center on Elder Abuse and other organizations say that it’s a growing issue. Its many forms include:
- Physical abuse – intentional harm inflicted by pushing, hitting, and other violence
- Sexual abuse – caused by any nonconsensual sexual contact or assault
- Emotional abuse – inflicted by means of verbal assault, threats, humiliation, or intimidation
- Financial abuse – exploitation that involves improper use of an elderly person’s money, property or other assets
- Abandonment – occurs when caregivers desert an elderly and vulnerable person
- Self-neglect – threatens well-being or safety when older individuals ignore their own needs
When you suspect that neglect or abuse may be causing harm to an elderly loved one, contact the appropriate authorities for help in addressing the situation. If nursing home administrators or other caregivers won’t address your concerns, call the Wellington nursing home neglect and elder abuse lawyers at Freeman Injury Law. Our experience and legal knowledge enables us to examine your loved one’s situation and determine if abuse or neglect is causing harm. We know how to take action to protect the rights of our elderly citizens, and we won’t rest until we’ve provided the strong advocacy needed by those who can’t speak up for themselves to stop the cycle of abuse.
Freeman Injury Law – (800) 561-7777 -- Someone on YOUR Side
