Maryland Nursing Home Lawyer Blog
As Maryland Nursing Home Abuse and Neglect Lawyers, we support the rights for Maryland residents to receive quality care, and be protected with treatment that is free from criminal acts, abuse, and the kind neglect that often results in injury or wrongful death. Under the Nursing Home Reform Act of 1987, all residents living in nursing homes or long-term care living facilities are entitled to receive this quality of care and attention in an environment that improves and maintains their mental and physical health.
Nursing home abuse and neglect occurs when a facility fails to protect and care for the residents, by paying proper attention to situations that could cause harm or pain. In an effort to educate families and consumers, and protect residents’ rights, the National Consumer Voice for Quality Long-Term Care (NCCNHR) publishes a consumer fact sheet aimed to prevent future nursing home abuse and neglect violations. The NCCNHR reports these common violations:
• Poor positioning of the body, which can lead to bedsores and frozen joints.
• Lack of cleanliness, hygiene, and proper toileting—causing incontinence, falls, bedsores.
• Resident malnutrition and dehydration
• Not assisting residents with walking, which can lead to immobility, and falls
• Abuse from a staff member, visitor, or intruder—which can involve using physical force in feeding, while administering medicine, or while moving a resident
• Ignoring, antagonizing, or depriving a resident of adequate needs, which can lead to emotional and psychological abuse.
• Inappropriate sexual touching or forcing residents into performing sexual acts
Other common nursing home injury violations to be aware of include failure to supervise residents adequately, administer proper medication to each resident, and provide patients who are mentally ill or who have dementia with special attention and care.
In a related post, our Maryland Nursing Home Injury Lawyers discussed injury prevention possibilities for families—nursing home abuse and neglect precautions that can be taken before the sick and elderly residents even enter the assisted living facilities.
It is a violation of State and Federal law for any person including facility staff, visitors, family members, or guardians to neglect or abuse a resident. Nursing homes are required by federal law to have regular monitoring and intervention strategies to maintain the safety and protection of residents at all times—in an environment that is free from neglect and abuse.
At Lebowitz & Mzhen Personal Injury Lawyers, we represent nursing home and assisted living abuse and neglect victims and their families who wish to recover personal injury compensation from a facility that has caused harm and suffering to an elderly or sick person during their stay. Contact us today.
National Consumer Voice For Quality Long-Term Care, (NCCNHR), Neglect & Abuse Advocate Fact Sheet
Web Related Resources:
National Consumer Voice For Quality Long-Term Care, (NCCNHR)
National Center on Elder Abuse, (NCEA)
Maryland Department of Aging, (MDOA)