Nursing Home Abuse in Royal Palm Beach
Florida’s Agency for Health Care Administration licenses and inspects nursing homes across the state. The percentages of facilities with these common deficiencies in 2010 included:
- 47% - Failure to meet professional standards of care
- 47% - Issues with food storage, preparation, service
- 40% - Infection control program deficiencies
- 35% - Resident care plan problems
- 34% - Medication issues
Source: Florida Agency for Health Care Administration.
Due east of West Palm Beach lies the Palm Beach County community of Royal Palm Beach. Identifying itself as a village, the community counts about 31,000 residents and encompasses 11 square miles. Having set itself the task of providing ample green space for its citizens, the Village of Royal Palm Beach was rewarded with a Tree City USA designation from the National Arbor Day Foundation. In testament to its desirable quality of life, Family Circle listed Royal Palm Beach among its 10 Best Towns in 2008.
At Freeman Injury Law, our nursing home neglect and abuse attorneys have gained the trust of elderly residents of Royal Palm Beach and other communities throughout South Florida for their capable handling of cases involving elder abuse and nursing home care issues. Our Royal Palm Beach nursing home neglect and abuse lawyers know that most nursing home residents only receive a fraction of the hands-on care they need, thanks to facilities that place greater emphasis on profitability than on residents’ well-being.
Our experienced nursing home neglect attorneys know that almost three-fourths of Florida’s nursing homes are for-profit enterprises, meaning administrators will want to keep costs down in order to protect the bottom line. One way to do that is understaffing, or staffing with minimally qualified people who can be paid at lower rates. Our Royal Palm Beach nursing home abuse and neglect lawyers know that the unfortunate effect is that quality of resident care suffers.
When the care provided by nursing homes doesn’t meet professional standards, some of the potential effects may include:
- Increases in development of bedsores because residents aren’t turned often
- Decreased levels of personal hygiene because staff has no time to assist with baths or bathroom trips. Unclean conditions can lead to infections
- Increased instances of malnutrition or dehydration because residents don’t receive the help they need to eat or drink properly
- Increased susceptibility to the serious condition sepsis, which develops when bedsores or other open wounds admit bacteria to the body
- Greater rates of falling among residents. Some nursing homes have fall rates that are twice the number of total beds in the facility
If you suspect that a nursing home is cutting corners on resident care or that a loved one residing in a facility is suffering abuse or neglect, contact the Royal Palm Beach nursing home neglect attorneys at our firm for advice. Neglect can be challenging to prove, but our experience and resources enable us to investigate concerns about care and determine if standards aren’t being met.
The Royal Palm Beach elder abuse lawyers in our firm also have a solid reputation for helping elderly citizens who live in their own homes or in other situations. We know that nursing homes aren’t the only environment in which abuse or neglect take place. The National Center on Elder Abuse says that as many as 2 million older people nationwide suffer abuse, whether it’s physical, emotional or sexual. An estimated 5 million are victims of financial exploitation, NCEA reports. And adult protective services workers observe that self-neglect is a big problem among the elderly population of the U.S.
Don’t let questionable situations progress to lasting harm where an elderly loved one is concerned. Contact the Royal Palm Beach nursing home neglect and elder abuse lawyers at Freeman Injury Law, for the knowledgeable legal advice you need. Our firm believes that every resident of South Florida is entitled to the best possible quality of life, and we’re prepared to provide the aggressive representation needed to bring elder abusers to justice. Call today for a free consultation.
Freeman Injury Law – (800) 561-7777 -- Someone on YOUR Side