Riverside Elder Abuse Lawyer

Nursing home neglect and abuse has become a very tragic reality in Riverside. A large portion of the population in Riverside County is now entering into their golden years, and many will have to enter these facilities. The influx of such a large number of patients entering these homes often results in elderly patients being neglected or abused.

In an effort to cut costs or increase profits, many nursing homes have been caught violating health and safety standards and hiring people without the proper training or education to reduce employee costs. In fact, the California Attorney General’s office recently doubled the size of its elder abuse division after a study found that:

• Only one nursing home in Los Angeles County was in full compliance for health and safety standards.
• Only eighteen homes were in compliance in the San Francisco area.
• None of the nursing homes in the Santa Barbara area were in compliance with these regulations.

Four Categories Of Elder Abuse in Riverside, CA

The law describes elder abuse as any type of abuse occurring against someone who is 65 years old or older. This type of abuse is categorized into four main types of abuse.

Physical Abuse. Physical abuse includes any action that will willfully inflict bodily harm on the individual. For elder abuse, this may include, but is not limited to:

• Inflicting physical pain and suffering by hitting, kicking, slapping, or otherwise injuring the elderly person
• Physically restraining the individual
• Withholding food or water causing dehydration or starvation
• Sexual abuse of any kind
• Not administering medications properly or withholding medications

Neglect. Neglect can include many different situations and is not limited to the following:

• Allowing bed sores to occur because of not turning individual.
• Not keeping individual clean.
• Starvation or dehydration.
• Creating conditions that are dangerous for the individual.

Emotional. Emotional abuse can come in several forms, including:

• Intimidation of being hurt or mistreated.
• Isolation from others out of neglect or as punishment.
• Ridicule or verbal abuse.

Financial. Financial abuse can include many different situations, but are most commonly associated with:

• Theft of personal property for personal gain.
• Embezzlement.
• Forgery or fraud, including identity theft, or the signing of legal documents.
• Mismanagement of finances.

Nursing homes are required to provide a specific level of care to all of its patients. Failure to meet the needs of the patients is a form of abuse and should be immediately reported to law enforcement and the associated government agencies. Speaking to an attorney about the abuse is recommended.

Riverside nursing homes must provide the following to all of their residents:

• A standard of care for each resident that will allow them to live in a safe environment that encourages them to have the highest quality of life possible with their specific limitations taken into consideration.
• Services and activities that enhance quality of life and maintain a healthy psycho-social balance. Programs should be in place to adjust to the changing needs of each patient.
• A written care plan should be done on each patient so that all of their specific needs are met. This written plan should be followed daily and reevaluated every couple of months to ensure health and happiness.

What To Do If You Suspect Nursing Home Abuse in Riverside, CA

If you suspect that your loved one has been abused or is currently being abused in a nursing home, you must do the following:

• Speak to your loved one and ask them to tell you what is going on. Any information that you receive from them should be documented with a time and date. Remember, many elderly people suffer intimidation at the hands of their abuser, if they deny abuse, yet you still see physical signs, you must act to protect their interests.
• Photograph any evidence that has led you to believe there is abuse taking place. This includes bruising, bed sores, and dry and cracked lips, which are a sign of dehydration.
• Contact law enforcement. You need to file a police report that abuse is taking place. Any type of abuse is illegal and a police report should be made to ensure that the authorities get involved.
• Follow through with your police report by contacting government agencies that are in charge of elder abuse cases. The police will most likely provide you with the information on whom to contact.
• Contact an attorney. Elder abuse is a very serious issue and your attorney can aggressively represent your loved one to ensure that the abuse is stopped, the criminals are held accountable, and compensation is issued.

The Law Offices of Brent A. Duque understand the seriousness of this type of situation. If you or your loved one are a victim of Riverside elder abuse, you are encouraged to speak to one of our attorneys today.

Contact our Riverside County Personal Injury Attorney at 1-877-241-9554 to learn more about your legal options. A free consultation is just a phone call away. You can even use our online contact form, and we’ll reply to you quickly.