Articles Posted in Nursing Home Abuse & Negligence

An investigative report in the Miami Herald earlier this year showed an alarming trend in assisted living negligence and abuse in Miami and across the state. According to journalists Rob Barry, Michael Sallah and Carol Marbin Miller, the Agency for Health Care Administration (AHCA), which is tasked with overseeing assisted living facilities in the state, has not monitored these facilities adequately and has allowed dangerous conditions at facilities to continue – even after residents and families have reported serious problems. As a result, serious injuries and even fatalities have occurred in Florida’s assisted living facilities, according to the reports.

According to the Miami Herald, the number of assisted living facilities has increased by 550 across Florida in the past five years while inspections of these facilities have declined 33% in the same period, allowing dangerous conditions to continue. This allows almost one abuse- or negligence-related fatality per month at these institutions. In addition, between 2011 and 2012 the newspaper reported that there were 70 homes that could have been shut down due to violations of laws, but only seven were actually closed. Some of the homes that remained open had more than 100 violations that created dangerous conditions for residents. Conditions are so bad, according to the journalists, that some facilities have had their funding frozen by the government and some government agencies are no longer sending residents to facilities with known violations – but these homes are still, in some cases, licensed by the AHCA.

Assisted living facilities were created more than 25 years ago by legislation meant to protect the ill and the elderly. Today, tens of thousands of people live in more than 2800 facilities across Florida and are supposed to be protected by assisted living laws as well as other legislation.

However, according to the Miami Herald, these facilities have in some cases become so dangerous that slip and fall accidents in Miami, overmedication, medical abuse, neglect, and outright abuse are occurring at some of these homes. In many cases, however, the journalists claim that no steps are taken to shut down the homes or punish those who are guilty of assisted living facility or nursing home abuse and negligence in Miami and other cities.

Assisted living facilities are supposed to be an alternative to nursing homes. However, while many states inspect such facilities annually, Florida currently only inspects them once every two years. Between 2002 and 2008, according to the Miami Herald, investigations of injuries and deaths at these facilities declined by 90%. At the same time, the number of abuse and neglect cases at these facilities doubled over the past five years, according to the Florida Department of Elder Affairs ombudsman program.

According to Miami Herald reporter Kenny Malone, more than 70 people have died in assisted living facilities in Florida over the past eight years due to abuse and neglect. Part of the problem, according to the reported, is that the state can keep records of deaths secret even from family members. In some cases, Malone reports, there have been cases of assisted living facilities falsifying or destroying records in order to cover up abuse and fatalities, but few were ever charged as a result.

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Families in Hollywood and other communities who have elderly loved ones in care worry about their family members becoming victims of nursing home abuse and neglect. Slip and fall accidents in Hollywood are an especial concern for families, and a new study shows that families are right to be worried. According to a new research study from Simon Fraser University, trip and fall and slip and fall accidents in long-term care facilities have been increasing.

The study was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal and found that 60% of elderly long-term care patients admitted to hospitals were admitted due to head injuries caused by falls. According to the researchers, the instances of these types of accidents increased in the past few years. Researchers also concluded that elderly residents who fell forward had three times the risk of head injuries when compared with residents who fell back or fell on their side.

If you have an elderly loved one in care and wish to protect them from a slip and fall accident or elder abuse in Hollywood, there are a few things you can do:

1) Choose a long-term care facility carefully. Look for a facility with a reputable staff and a good reputation. Visit often before you make a choice so that you can see what precautions are taken to keep residents safe and healthy. Also, make sure that there is enough staff and supervision at the facility. Residents are more likely to suffer from serious falls if there is not enough staff to help them when assistance is needed.

2) Check up on loved ones regularly. This way, you can see for yourself whether neglect is an issue and whether proper steps are being taken to keep your relative safe.

3) Ensure that the facility and staff take steps to reduce slip and fall and trip and fall accidents. The floors should be clear of anything that can pose a tripping hazard and there should be multiple grab bars (especially in the bedroom) to assists residents with mobility issues. Floors should have no-slip treads in places where floors can get slippery. Bathrooms and showers should be equipped with seating areas, no-slip floors, and grab bars.

4) Pay attention to your loved one’s health. Health issues such as vision problems and mobility issues can increase the likelihood of slip and fall accidents and injuries. Make sure your family member gets medical attention as needed and stays in the best physical condition possible. If your loved one gets new medication, ask how the medication may affect mobility and balance. In some cases, a different prescription may be a safer option and may help prevent falls.

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