caregiver mistreating senior woman in nursing homeNursing Home Abuse in Utah Can Be Fixed

Nursing home abuse has become so commonplace, the incidents finally triggered a government reaction in the form of a slew of new laws passed to control the spread of the problem, increase punishment for violations, and hold administrators and staff responsible for egregious cases. The problem stems from a combination of for-profit service administration, a lack of direct review, and abuse happening out of sight to victims oftentimes unable to speak for themselves competently. The most severe cases then only come to light through random discovery or mortality investigation for something being out of place.

Multiple Legal Requirements Already Apply

Utah nursing homes fall under both state regulations and laws on the matter as well as federal laws. Both have defined responsibilities and obligations of nursing home operators, yet abuse cases still happen. In fact, the state Adult Protective Services still regularly follows up on and investigates abuse allegations, totaling over 2,000 inquiries annually. Of that figure, a third end up in actual conclusive evidence of abuse and prosecution of the same for neglect, one of the most common forms of senior abuse. The next two categories are emotional abusiveness and financial theft or embezzlement. Finally, physical and even sexual abuse makes up 5 percent of the cases investigated. As a result, even with the current laws in place and new ones with more severe penalties being applied, abuse still happens on a regular basis. In these instances, a Heber Valley lawyer like the Gordon Law Group can help.

Basics Required for Every Nursing Home

Much of the passive abuse that happens in nursing homes tend to be driven by trying to maximize profit with as little as possible in operations. As a result, nursing home abuse laws focus on administration, treatment, and living conditions or environment. For example, all Utah nursing homes have to provide each resident with at least 100 square feet if in a single unit or 80 square feet if in a shared living unit or room.

In terms of care, every facility must have immediate care applied to a new resident as soon as admission happens. And every new resident must have a personalized care plan developed those details how the patient is to be treated, and cared for and their well-being is protected.

In addition, the existing laws from both Utah state and the federal government also apply to protect nursing home residents, their safety, their finances, and their person.

Reporting Nursing Home Abuse and Protecting Loved Ones

The easiest way to report suspected abuse is to use the online tools provided by the Utah Aging and Adult Services Division of the state (www.hsdaas.utah.gov). Additionally, harmed parties can be represented and held accountable in court with regard to the damage done, omissions that should have been addressed, and harm caused to a resident or senior under care. In these instances, having a qualified nursing home abuse attorney providing representation can make a critical difference.

For personal representation in nursing home abuse situations, the Gordon Law Group is ready to assist. As a Heber Utah attorney team, the Gordon Law Group has regularly litigated nursing home abuse, obtaining recovery for clients in cases where egregious behavior never should have occurred under proper administration. Because our expert team has the legal experience to properly review the operations of a nursing home in Utah, we’re able to provide effective personal representation that produces real results. If you have assisted living complaints that have gone unaddressed, call us today. We can help produce a legal solution that works towards protecting your loved one’s interest and care!