Nursing Home Injuries and Elder Abuse in Kentucky
According to a 2004 Centers for Disease Control study, there are more than 16,000 nursing homes in the United States, and over 85% of the beds in those homes are occupied. That means over 1.5 million people ages 65 and older live in nursing homes, and rely upon those facilities and their staffs to provide compassionate and competent care. Additionally, more "baby-boomers" become nursing home residents every day.Because of the nursing home population's explosion, adequate resources to provide residents the care they legally and rightfully deserve may be limited. Likewise, more for-profit and publically traded companies now own and operate more long-term care facilities than ever before. Many of these companies prioritize shareholder profits above providing their residents appropriate care. These unfortunate realities may result in our older loved ones becoming victims of nursing home or elder abuse. Nursing home injuries are often preventable, and may result from malpractice. If you or a loved one has sustained injuries while residing in a nursing home, call Seth Gladstein, an experienced nursing home abuse attorney, for your free consultation.
Protecting Louisville from Nursing Home Abuse
State and federal laws require nursing home professionals to provide their residents competent care, and treat them with dignity. If a nursing home facility or professional fails to fulfill those duties, and a resident is injured as a result, the negligent professionals or facilities may be held liable for monetary damages. Some of the most common nursing abuse or malpractice injuries include:- Bed sores (also called pressure sores or decubitis ulcers)
- Death
- Dehydration
- Improper use of physical or chemical restraints
- Injuries resulting from elopement and wandering
- Injuries resulting from inadequate staffing
- Malnutrition
- Medication errors
- Mental abuse
- Physical abuse
- Resident falls
- Sexual abuse
Both the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the federal government have both enacted statutes and regulations aimed at preventing nursing abuse and malpractice. The Federal Nursing Home Care Reform Act created a set of minimum standards regarding nursing home residents' care and rights. Likewise, Kentucky has enacted KRS 216.515, the long-term care facility residents' Bill of Rights, which provides that all nursing home residents have certain inalienable rights. If a long-term care facility violates these statutes or regulations, there may be an appropriate basis to bring a nursing home negligence claim.
