Understanding the Legal Rights of Nursing Home Residents
Under federal and state law, Minnesota nursing home residents have certain rights and protections. Summary Federal and Minnesota state laws give residents of long-term care facilities, including nursing homes and assisted living communities, specific legal rights. The Nursing Home Reform Act mandates standards for care and resident rights, while the Older Americans Act provides advocacy through the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program. The Americans with Disabilities Act ensures equal access and accommodations for residents with disabilities. Minnesota has additional laws like the Health Care Bill of Rights and the Vulnerable Adults Act, which safeguard nursing home residents' rights, privacy, and dignity. Residents and families can report violations to nursing home administration, state regulatory agencies, or the Long-Term Care Ombudsman. Residents can take legal action if internal resolutions fail. Experienced Minnesota nursing home abuse attorneys provide legal advice and representation to protect resident rights, handle disputes, and file lawsuits against non-compliant facilities. Residents of long-term care facilities, like assisted living communities and nursing homes, are entitled to specific legal protections. The federal Nursing Home Reform Law ensures the rights of those residing in nursing homes. In Minnesota, state laws recognize Resident Rights and seek to safeguard the rights of individuals in...
How to Find a Minnesota Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer
Unfortunately, nursing home abuse isn’t just a problem in Minnesota but throughout the country. Allegations of resident mistreatment exploded from 3,600 in 2010 to more than 24,000 just six years later. According to ProPublica, of the 353 nursing facilities in Minnesota, 173 of them had serious deficiencies, and 316 had issues with resident infections. As our loved ones age, ensuring their well-being becomes even more critical, especially those in nursing homes. Tragically, instances of nursing home abuse have become common, making it essential to take proactive steps to protect our family members. One of the most effective ways to protect a loved one is to contact an attorney immediately if you suspect they’re suffering abuse. Sand Law has a long track record of helping protect the rights of the elderly and holding accountable those who mistreat them. Schedule a free consultation by calling 651-291-7263 or contacting us online. Understanding The Need For A Minnesota Nursing Home Abuse Lawyer Nursing homes should be places of care and comfort for our elderly loved ones, but that’s not always the case. Nursing home abuse can take various forms. These include physical harm, emotional distress, neglect, sexual assault, and financial exploitation. These actions inflict...
6 Signs of Nursing Home Abuse to Look Out For
When you trust the care of an elderly loved one to a nursing home, the last thing you might expect is that person to suffer harm due to nursing home negligence. A well-run facility can bring a sense of comfort to residents and family members alike. However, when it’s not, it can be a nightmare. There are lots of signs that your loved one is being neglected, or flat-out abused, in a nursing facility. This article will highlight six of the more common signs. If any of these apply to your family member, or you have any reason whatsoever to believe they’re being mistreated, please get in touch with Sand Law LLC as soon as you can. Our team of attorneys will thoroughly investigate to see if abuse or neglect – or both – is taking place. If it is, we will fight hard to make sure your family obtains the compensation that you have coming. If you would like to learn more about how we might be able to help, please contact us online or give us a call at 651-291-7263 to schedule a free consultation. 1. Malnutrition Does it seem that your mother, your father, or some other...
Sexual Assault in a Nursing Home
Although rare compared to other forms of elder abuse, sexual assault in nursing homes is nonetheless a grievance for victims and their families. If you’ve ever been in the position to choose a nursing home for your parents or older relatives, you probably selected a facility that you believed would foster their healthy, safety, and social needs. Unfortunately, some homes that appear to be perfect on the surface aren’t necessarily ideal. While all nursing home residents deserve to enjoy their golden years, some are subjected to abuse at the facilities that are supposed to look after them. Defining Sexual Abuse Of A Nursing Home Resident Sexual abuse in a nursing home engages residents in unwanted sexual acts or attention. When many people hear the word abuse, they think of obvious signs of violence or aggression. However, most acts of sexual abuse are done secretly and quietly. Perpetrators are careful not to get caught so that they can continue the cycle of abuse. Who Is At Risk? Anyone in a nursing home can fall prey to sexual abusers. Compared with men, women in general are more than nine times more likely to be violated. Elderly women are often perceived as weaker....
Duty of Care to Protect Seniors from Illness
Types Of Nursing Home Neglect Nursing homes are meant to be places where seniors can live peacefully. These homes offer protection, health care, meals, and socialization for older citizens. Because the elderly can often have problems with memory loss, they often don’t realize that they’re being mistreated. Abuse doesn’t necessarily mean violence in this situation, but instead focuses on negligence. Nursing homes are supposed to be a safe and comfortable place for the elderly, but unfortunately, sometimes negligence occurs. Basic Needs Neglect Basic needs neglect, or general neglect, occurs when the nursing home staff fails to provide the proper care for its tenants. This could mean leaving residents unattended for long periods of time, failing to provide enough food or water, forgetting to administer medications, not cleaning the residents’ rooms, ignoring complaints, or failing to ensure the safety of residents. Basic needs neglect occurs when the basic needs of an occupant are ignored, either on purpose or out of negligence. Emotional/Social Neglect Emotional/social neglect can occur in multiple different ways. It can be restraining a resident from interacting with anyone else or treating them badly emotionally. This could include name-calling, insults, threats, isolation, or being overly-controlling of the residents. Personal...
Signs of Risk for Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect
Common Nursing Home Neglect And Abuse Red Flags Nursing homes have an obligation to their residents to provide an environment that is safe and free of hazards. The elderly residents entrusted into their care are especially vulnerable and in need of assistance in almost every aspect of their lives at times. These facilities often do their best to provide the standard of care expected of them but there are many that create environments where an elderly resident can suffer an injury from either neglect or even direct abuse. The decision to seek the assistance of an elder care facility isn’t easy but it is often necessary. This time in an elderly person’s life often requires round the clock assistance or something as simple as bathing can result in broken bones or worse. Searching for the right care facility is no easy task. When looking for the right care facility, there are several red flags that can indicate that an elder care facility like a nursing home may not be providing the expected level of care. Restrictive Nursing Home Visiting Hours Nursing homes should always be transparent when it comes to the care of their residents. When they impose especially restrictive...